Train with provisions sent by Omsk workers to V. I. Lenin on the day of his fiftieth birthday, April 22, 1920.

# [Part 5/10] 1920

"NORM OF THE UNEMPLOYED AND PETTY PROPRIETORS" OR: citizens having their own occupations, not working, etc. (or: "petty proprietors"), "not working in Soviet enterprises and institutions."

Advantage: (1) in the capitals and in all non-agricultural, factory cities tremendous simplification (since there a mass works in Soviet enterprises or in Soviet institutions).

(2) In non-industrial cities we c l e a r l y delineate the population not working in Soviet enterprises and in Soviet institutions, and this population must l i t t l e b y l i t t l e b e s u b l a t e d f r o m t h e r a t i o n (either start your own vegetable garden, or go to work in Soviet enterprises or Soviet institutions).

We s h a l l n o t f e e d those who do not work in Soviet enterprises, nor in Soviet institutions.

Count, under which system there will be f e w e r r a t i o n c a r d s and the entire system is simpler.

Lenin

RESOLUTION ON A TELEGRAM FROM TAGANROG
April 29, 1920

Moscow, Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Lenin
To the Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee Kalinin

The Regional Party Conference of the RCP in the Taganrog District. Outraged by the confusion occurring around the question of the boundaries of Donetsk Province and the Don Region. Lugansk telegraphs orders to Taganrog, citing a decision of the Council of People's Commissars, to submit to it; Rostov telegraphs to Taganrog that the boundaries of the Don Region remain as before. Part of the Taganrog District without the knowledge and consent of the Taganrog Regional Military Revolutionary Committee has already been occupied by Donetsk Province, where representatives of Lugansk threaten representatives of Taganrog with arrest and armed force. The Party Conference urgently requests an end to these outrages, which are completely disorganizing the work of the Taganrog Regional Military Revolutionary Committee and the volost revolutionary committees in the localities.

Presidium of the Conference

*At the top of the telegram there is a notation by the STD secretariat, made at the instruction of V. I. Lenin: "Copies to Stalin, Vladimirsky."
Vladimirsky is ill. Coordinate with the Commissariat of Internal Affairs (Vasiliev?) and ensure that the Internal Affairs Commissariat t a k e s m e a s u r e s.

Lenin

LENIN COLLECTION

CONCERNING THE PUBLICATION OF THE BOOK "LEFT-WING" COMMUNISM: AN INFANTILE DISORDER"

LETTER TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Beginning of May 1920

Comrade C h i c h e r i n !

I would request you and Fainberg (or if you are occupied, a comrade on your recommendation who knows English socialist movements excellently) to review my booklet or the chapter on England and give me advice on whether there are any errors or tactlessnesses in it. Practical corrections, if not too troublesome, I would very much ask you to note separately in pencil.

Yours, Lenin

LETTER TO PETROGRAD

May 23, 1920

To Petrograd comrades publishing my booklet on the Left:

1) I ask that you compare the final proofs with the corrections entered here in the proofs;

2) I ask that you send me back this appended proofs here;

3) in the "addendum" I ask that you especially correct the passages on page 5, marked in the margins with signs:

1)))
(after checking return to me);

and 2)))

4) I ask that you inform me by telephone the name of the comrade responsible for checking and for the final publication. (Also, when you are releasing it).

5) You need not await further corrections from me.

Lenin

1920

NOTE TO N. A. SEMASHKO

May 3, 1920

If Comrade Semashko is not available, then for Comrade Soloviev

Comrade Semashko!

I ask you to receive the bearer, Comrade Dmitry Nikitich Erogienko, a medical assistant. He was recommended to me by a very reliable comrade. Comrade Eroshenkov has several weeks free (pending special assignment, which we will give him) and during this time would like, on the one hand, to continue his medical training, and on the other, to apply his efforts to it. I very much ask you to help him.

Yours, Lenin

P. S. The comrade has an invention of a very p r a c t i c a l disinfection chamber. It must be checked and utilized.

TELEGRAM OF V. I. LENIN AND I. V. STALIN TO L. B. KRASIN AND M. M. LITVINOV

COPENHAGEN

May 8, 1920

In response to your numbers 34, 35, 49, 43 and 48, we inform: 1) The contracts with the consortium of Swedish metalworking and locomotive-building plants are satisfactory; sign them. Clarify whether the agreed-upon payment method with credit extension applies to all Swedish metal goods we purchase or exclusively to orders we shall place henceforth. 2) Gold in Reval amounting to thirty-two million kroner will be sent at your request.

3) We doubt whether Scandinavian industry can substantially aid in restoring our transport. The delivery of a thousand locomotives over a six-year period confirms this. We attach significance to the concluded contract principally with the aim of influencing the major locomotive-building plants of Europe and America. 4) Further expenditure of gold must be extraordinarily limited. We consider the political situation of the moment insufficiently favorable for placing a significant portion of our fund abroad. The nomenclature of goods and their quantity for which you may be authorized to make payment in gold will be communicated additionally.

5) What is the status of regulating the orders issued by Vorovsky, and what is the fate of Russian gold placed in Sweden by the Provisional Government?

Lenin. Stalin

Printed from typewritten copy.

EXCHANGE OF NOTES WITH I. V. STALIN

May 13, 1920

Comrade S t a l i n !

If you find an absolutely reliable specialist, an expert in this matter, request his opinion and do not refuse to inform me*.

Yours, Lenin

May 25, 1920

Dear L e n i n !

In response to your request I am sending the opinion of a person who knows the matter—the manager of the financial department of the RCI, Citizen Achkasov. Noghin's project appears to me to be the fruit of careerist aspirations of a group of bureaucrats seeking to create new sinecures. It must be rejected just as we rejected the so-called GVUPT.

Yours, I. Stalin

ON THE RECEPTION OF THE ENGLISH WORKERS' DELEGATION

DIRECTIVE TO THE COMMISSARIATS

May 15, 1920

In the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, for the reception of the English delegation, diagrams of the work of the Commissariat, brief numerical reports have been prepared, and there is an English translator to provide explanations. If measures have not been taken in other Commissariats, I propose urgent measures be taken. Regarding the printing of brief numerical reports, coordinate with Vorovsky*.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

NOTES ON A MEMO FROM THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT FOR FOOD SUPPLY REGARDING FOOD SUPPLY TO THE OREKHO-ZUYEVO DISTRICT FOR APRIL-MAY 1920

May 15, 1920

1) Tomorrow, May 16, 2 cars—meat 1 car + 1 car of fats from Moscow.

2) Wheat 3 cars from Nizhny—gifts for children.

3) Salt not yet available.

4) From May 25 improvement.

DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON THE PROCUREMENT OF RAW MATERIALS**

May 25, 1920

Create a commission with the task of, within a two-week period:

1) work out measures to unite all procurement of grain and raw materials in one agency or with a sufficiently firm and expedient unification of the corresponding agencies for this purpose. Obligatory utilization of the cooperative apparatus.

2) The commission must especially consider the question of the application of food units and internal security troops to the matter of procurement of all sorts of raw materials, then regarding conditions and concrete amounts of the application of bonuses and goods exchange (as a general rule, collective), in particular the return to peasants of part of the raw materials surrendered by them in the form of processed product.

3) The application of universal cadastral assessment to raw material procurement is obligatory, as are fixed prices.

CORRESPONDENCE OF V. I. LENIN, I. V. STALIN AND S. M. KIROV*

May 25, 1920

In my opinion, it is necessary to request Kirov or Sergo.

Stalin

Ginis has been arrested in connection with speculation in platinum discovered in Baku. From Ginis's office the Special Section seized 45 pounds of platinum. It is supposed that the platinum was to be smuggled abroad. Allow me to clarify the details on location in Baku, where I will be in a week.

S. Kirov

Kirov must be obligated within a week upon his arrival to send me a telegram about this matter.

Lenin

Good.

Kirov

* The correspondence was conducted in the margins of a telegram received by V. I. Lenin on May 24, 1920 from Baku with a request to release S. P. Ginis from arrest.

NOTE TO L. A. FOTIEVA

May 25, 1920

In connection with the Central Committee directive to tighten up in every way, especially duty personnel on Sundays and holidays, I ask you immediately to draft and present to me for signature rules concerning r e s p o n s i b l e (Glasser, Volodicheva, Kizas, etc.) duty personnel in the secretariat of the Council of People's Commissars and the Council of Defense on S u n d a y s a n d h o l i d a y s specifically (also on weekdays). H o u r s and so forth.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Lenin

REMARKS ON THE DRAFT DECREE ON MEASURES FOR THE PROPER DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSING AMONG THE WORKING POPULATION*

May 25, 1920

In my opinion, § 9 is unsuitable. The People's Courts are weak.

It is necessary to obligate local sanitary departments ( + revolutionary committees)

(a) to issue binding rules

(b) to punish, w i t h o u t c o u r t, with arrest up to 1 month and with compulsory labor up to 2 months for uncleanliness and so forth.

(c) to organize mass supervision of cleanliness (through special detachments at the Soviet of Deputies).

Lenin

* The text of the decree, corrected in accordance with V. I. Lenin's published remarks here, was adopted by the Council of People's Commissars on May 25, 1920 and published in "Izvestia of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee" on June 4, 1920. In § 9 of this decree it is stated:

"9. Persons maintaining their dwellings in dirty, unsanitary condition, damaging it, violating internal order through their conduct, are subjected in administrative fashion, on the determination of housing-sanitary inspection and housing-land departments, to deprivation of freedom up to one month or to compulsory labor up to 3 months.

Oversight for the implementation of all the foregoing is placed upon housing-land departments, organs of housing-sanitary inspection and workers-peasants inspection according to jurisdiction."

SKETCH OF RESOLUTIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON GRAIN RESOURCES*

May 26, 1920

1) Express satisfaction with the growth of procurements

2) require monthly data

3) distinguish what was delivered to stations from what was procured

4) help the procurers (§ 4)

5) strengthen delivery (§ 5)

6) vegetable gardens?

NOTES AND ADDENDUM TO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON HIGHER TECHNICAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS**

Council of People's Commissars resolution:

1. All instruction in higher technical educational institutions must strictly correspond to the contemporary needs of the RSFSR.

2. Instruction must be conducted on the basis of p r a c t i c a l study of production processes and the organization of production in state enterprises. Plans of students' work at these enterprises are established by higher technical educational institutions by agreement with the corresponding economic organs.

3. As a result of the measures indicated in the present resolution and the expedient concentration of instruction in higher technical educational institutions, a three-year course is established...

6. Admitted students are enlisted in state service and are bound by the necessity of studies with the strictest supervision of classes, on the basis of special rules established by the Main Labor Committee jointly with the Main Professional Education Committee.

* The proposals recorded by V. I. Lenin in the present sketch were included in the Council of People's Commissars resolution adopted on May 27, 1920.

** The Small Council of People's Commissars resolution "On Higher Technical Educational Institutions" with V. I. Lenin's corrections was adopted at the Council session on June 4, 1920 and published in "Izvestia of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee" on June 9, 1920.

May 27, 1920

??

This is not proper Russian. But clear.

?? When then?

The time of introduction is determined separately??

7. Students and instructors with respect to supply are equated to military educational institutions, wherein the norms themselves are established by the Commission on Worker Supply at the Food Commissariat.

Note: For days missed, students, apart from other measures (§ 6), are deprived of their ration.

Reports once a month to the Council of People's Commissars brief: number of students, number of attendances at lectures, number of auditors and members of the public.

ON MEASURES FOR DEVELOPING SUBURBAN AGRICULTURE

DIRECTIVE TO THE SECRETARY

May 27, 1920

To the Moscow and Petrograd Soviets add (in communicating today's decision on vegetable gardens*), that we also await measures for accounting for and confiscation of surpluses from suburban gardeners**.

RESOLUTION ON A TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION FROM THE PETROGRAD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

June 28, 1920

Check when we requested***.

Call attention to the impermissibility of delay. They are obliged to give a brief answer i m m e d i a t e l y; we will grant deferment only for a more detailed report (they must request: f o r h o w m a n y d a y s). Give me the text of the reply telegram to them.

* Having discussed the question of grain resources on May 27, 1920, the Council of People's Commissars resolved: "Commission the Moscow and Petrograd Soviets to direct intensified attention to the necessity of increasing receipt of vegetable products from places near the capitals this year and to submit their proposals on possible measures to the Council of People's Commissars within 2 weeks" (protocol no. 370, § 5).

** In connection with the secretary's question (in a note in the margin of the document): "in the protocol or only in the telephone communication?", V. I. Lenin underlined the words: "only in the telephone communication."

*** It concerns V. I. Lenin's requests sent to Petrograd on May 28, June 22 and 26 regarding the quantity of vegetable products.

ON THE WORKING OUT OF THESES ON THE NATIONAL AND COLONIAL QUESTIONS

SKETCHES OF A PLAN AND NOTES*

Beginning of June 1920

C o m m i s s i o n o n t h e n a t i o n a l q u e s t i o n

(June 1, 1920).

Our party program on the national question (its sub-points).

Austrian experience.

Ukrainian experience.

Belgian experience.

Alsace-Lorraine.

Balkan experience.

Danish-German relations.

Separatism in Germany?

Eastern peoples: Bashkirs, Tatars, Kirghiz, Turkic peoples.

S t r u g g l e a g a i n s t p a n - I s l a m i s m

Colonies...

America and Negroes.

Request S t a l i n m a n d a t o r i l y.

No. 1—Rapprochement... its form...

Concrete proposals on how to bring together.

One general organization (party?) with workers in several languages? or national sub-divisions? finances? appointments of officials?

2) Elimination of privileges

(a) form? laws? administrative practice?

(b) "complete equality" in the constitution?

Cf. Constitution of RSFSR, other laws, etc.

(c) "recognition for colonies and unequal nations of the right to separation."

Real guarantees: not just in words, but i n d e e d (detail and make concrete—form of declaration in parliaments, etc.). Namely, in deed h e l p for revolutionary struggle and uprisings in colonies.

3) Federative union—as a form of transition to complete unity.

Experience of RSFSR: concrete accounting of the content of federation (railroads, post, military affairs, n a t i o n a l e c o n o m y, etc.).

NOTES ON A TELEGRAM FROM G. K. ORJONIKIDZE

June 8, 1920

Moscow, to Lenin, Stalin, Chicherin

Baku, June 8. The peace delegation* returned today. They will meet again tomorrow. The Georgians are presenting impossible demands, do not want to recognize the mixed commission. Azerbaijan has agreed to the boundary as before the coup. It is necessary to pressure the Georgians and force them to agree to the old boundary. Regarding the Poilu Bridge and the Red Bridge, it is necessary either to neutralize them or to station Azerbaijani troops on one side and Georgian troops on the other. Do not consider these questions unworthy of attention, since counter-revolution is speculating on this, pointing out that without the Bolsheviks the Georgians would not have dared to touch us, but now are taking away our lands.

Orjonikidze

NOTE TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

June 9, 1920

I ask you to send Litvinov and Krasin an encrypted message of this sort:

In Paris, arrondissement XIV, on the street Victor Considérant 5, lives Mister Weisbein, who has a suitcase containing my party and personal archives. Try to acquire it in a most conspiratorial manner. Weisbein works in the office "Florence," Boulevard Saint-Michel, 40.

Lenin

Remind me to speak about this with C h i c h e r i n **.

RESOLUTION

June 14, 1920

By protocol of Comrades Belenky, Ivanychev and Gabalin it was established that by order of the director of the sanatorium, Comrade Vever, on June 14, 1920, a completely healthy spruce was felled in the park of the sanatorium.

For permitting such damage to Soviet property, I prescribe that Comrade Vever, director of the sanatorium at the Soviet estate Gorki, be subjected to arrest for 1 month.

The sentence is to be carried out by the Podolsk district executive committee, whereby:

(1) if it is discovered that Comrade Vever was not previously subjected to sanctions, then after one week of arrest, release him conditionally with a warning that, in case of another instance of improper felling in the park, alleys, forest, or other damage to Soviet property, he will not only be subjected, in addition to new punishment, to arrest for 3 weeks, but also be removed from his position.

(2) The term for executing the sentence is to be determined by the district executive committee by agreement with the district land department or the administration of state farms so that agricultural work and the economy suffer no damage whatsoever.

I commission Comrade Belenky to announce this resolution to Comrade Vever and his assistants, taking their signatures for the record that this has been announced to them and that they have been informed that the next such violation will result in punishment for all employees and workers, not just the director.

I commission the district executive committee to report to me of the term designated for serving the arrest and of the actual serving of it.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

RESOLUTION AND NOTES ON A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE PULKOVO OBSERVATORY

June 20, 1920

To the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

The Chief Russian Astronomical Observatory at Pulkovo, with the aim of ensuring and properly organizing scientific work at the observatory, considers the following points necessary and is submitting a petition for their approval:

1) Subordinate the Pulkovo Observatory directly to the central authority in Moscow, granting it the right to correspond directly not only with the head of the central (Moscow) scientific department, but also with the Commissar and Deputy Commissar of Education, as well as with other central authorities...

Comrade P o k r o v s k y !
According to Gorky's opinion, help is necessary. Please give me your opinion.

Lenin

4) Enact the Pulkovo Observatory charter through the collegium of the Education Commissariat and through the Council of People's Commissars, recognizing the necessary connection of the observatory in scientific matters with the Russian Academy of Sciences.

5) Recognize for the Pulkovo Observatory a most important significance for the Russian Republic, as the observatory, according to the statements of foreign specialists, is the preeminent astronomical institution not only in Russia but in the entire world, as it prepares for practical activity military geodesists and naval hydrographers, and finally supplies exact time to all government institutions of Russia and to the courts of the military fleet.

6) In accordance with point 5, recognize all employees, numbering not more than 50, as being on record in the sense of military service and not subject to mobilization, with the provision, however, that the forces of these persons may be, in extraordinary cases, utilized for military purposes, provided they remain in service at Pulkovo.

7) Recognize the employees of the Pulkovo Observatory as subject to food supply on an enhanced ration, at least no less than that of the front-line Red Army soldier, as has already been done for certain institutions.

Will receive by House of Scientists.

NOTE TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FINANCE

June 20, 1920

I ask you to render every assistance to Gorky in equipping the building of the Expert Commission* with fire-prevention equipment.

Please do not refuse to inform me of what and when has been done.

The delays, I am told, are terrible.

With communist greetings

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

LETTER TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOOD SUPPLY

June 22, 1920

I propose to provide Citizen Tyrkov, one of the last of the heroic group of Populists, a participant in the March trial of the murder of Alexander II—now Citizen Tyrkov in very advanced years—

with two or three desyatinas of land from his former estate and 2 cows for his family.

The directive is to be executed expeditiously by the People's Commissar of Agriculture, Comrade Serebryakov, and the People's Commissar of Food Supply, Comrade Tsyurupa (or his deputy) by agreement, by telegram, with the local provincial executive committee.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

I ask the Commissars to sign: are you in agreement or not?

Remind me so there will be a report on the execution from t h e P e o p l e ' s C o m m i s s a r i a t o f A g r i c u l t u r e.

FROM A NOTE TO THE SECRETARIAT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)

June 29, 1920

1) Force the State Publishing House to quickly publish (with abbreviations) the book by Keynes: "Economic Consequences of the Peace"**;

* It concerns the Expert Commission, formed in February 1920 under the chairmanship of A. M. Gorky for the creation of an antiquarian export fund.

** Keynes. "The Economic Consequences of the Peace."

2) set a series of private-docents to work on the translation and compilation of the best... and other n e w economic works;

3) engage Akselrod (Lyubov Akselrod) to edit the philosophy section;

4) publish a series of translations of materialists (17th and 18th centuries) and a series of compilations from their works.

Lenin

ON THERMOSES

TO THE PRESIDIUM OF THE MOSCOW SOVIET

June 29, 1920

Attaching an excerpt from the pamphlet "Cooking Food Without Fire" (p. 43, no. 1 "The Housewife's Little Library," published by VSNKH, Moscow, 1918*)., I ask you to inform me of the results of the contest on thermoses announced by the Food Department of the Moscow Soviet**.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

* In the excerpt mentioned by V. I. Lenin it is stated:

"In the absence of fuel, coal and petroleum, and with insufficient stockpiling of firewood, thermoses must play a major role.

Taking into account their significance, the Food Department of the Moscow Soviet of Workers' and Red Army Deputies announced a contest for thermoses—of both large and small sizes.

Three prizes have been established: for apparatuses of half a bucket, 10,000 rubles, 5,000 rubles and 3,000 rubles; for designs for apparatuses of 5 buckets—5,000 rubles and 3,000 rubles. The deadline for submission of apparatuses and designs—October 20, 1918."

** In the report submitted to V. I. Lenin on July 16, 1920, the board of the Moscow consumer union informed that the thermos contest ended on October 1, 1918. The results of the contest were communicated by the contest commission to the Food Department in May 1919. Simultaneously with the work of the contest commission, the Food Department began to use thermoses manufactured exclusively of wood (plywood and wood shavings). Thermoses of this design were distinguished by their lightness—about 32 pounds for a three-bucket vessel, allowed for the continuation of cooking and keeping hot food suitable for eating without additional heating for 18-20 hours.

NOTE

Return the little booklet "Cooking Without Fire" to me.

LETTER TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

June 30, 1920

To the Small Council

Copies 1) People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs

2) People's Commissariat of Nationalities

Comrade Marchlewski informs me of the extreme delay in the matter of transferring from the People's Commissariat of Nationalities to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs the liquidation commission for the affairs of the former Kingdom of Poland.

I ask that the consideration of this matter (final) be accelerated and that you inform me exactly when it will be decided.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

RESOLUTION ON A LETTER FROM THE PHOTO-CINEMA DEPARTMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF EDUCATION*

July 8, 1920

Comrade K r a s i n !

I very m u c h p r e s s urge and satisfy the request quickly.

Lenin

* In the letter it was reported on the progress of work on the production, according to V. I. Lenin's assignment, of the cinema film "Trial of Kolchak's Ministers": "The Photo-Cinema Department can begin work on the film immediately and complete it in two, at most three, weeks, but at the present moment no work can be done due to absolute absence of film stock... All efforts of the Department yield no results: the importation of film from abroad ceased long ago; speculators were selling small quantities, constantly raising the price, hidden old small reserves, which apparently are completely exhausted... Despite e n d l e s s petitions, appeals, and visits to the Foreign Trade Commission, despite even Your telegraph assignment to purchase film abroad, the Photo-Cinema Department constantly encounters only refusals, and has so far received nothing from anywhere."

TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF HEALTH

July 8, 1920

According to information I have, you store film for photo-cinematographic work without use.

In view of the acute need of the Photo-Cinematographic Department of the Education Commissariat and a series of urgent works existing, having great agitational significance, I ask that you transfer at least part of your supply to the Photo-Cinematographic Department of the Education Commissariat.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

ON THE DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS "ON THE CENTRALIZATION OF LIBRARY AFFAIRS IN THE REPUBLIC"

NOTE TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

July 15, 1920

I refused to sign because it is grandiose and unclear. I propose to rework it more precisely (what exactly does "bring into the network" mean more concretely?) and submit it a second time together with instructions.

Lenin

* In the draft, adopted at the Small Council of People's Commissars on June 22, 1920, it was provided—with the aim of eliminating parallelism in work and proper use of all existing book wealth and even distribution thereof—that "libraries of all public organizations and institutions flow into the general library network of the Departments of Public Education." All newly opened libraries by public organizations must be obligatorily included "in the general network of public libraries."
The document is printed from the manuscript of V. I. Lenin (received from the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, file 1827).

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE DRAFT DECREE WRITTEN BY N. K. KRUPSKAYA

November 3, 1920

recognize as absolutely necessary, likewise other agencies all, without exception, central and local institutions, central and local, including work, leadership, this work? see at the end?

1) In view of the colossally increased over recent years and continuing to increase demand for books, the Council of People's Commissars resolves: to direct special attention to* the organization of public use of books, without which books will never be accessible to the broad masses of the population.

2) For this purpose, all libraries under the supervision of the Education Commissariat, likewise are linked in the Unified Library Network of the RSFSR, which works according to a definite plan, establishes the basic types of libraries, links them by means of traveling collections, organizes the exchange of books between libraries and thereby brings books closer to the reader—the worker and peasant**.

3) In view of the acute book famine and the quantity of book wealth that is completely inadequate to the enormous demand, no parallelism is tolerable in library affairs. Therefore, libraries of all other agencies, public organizations and institutions must also enter the Unified Library Network and work according to the general plan, under the supervision of the Education Commissariat.

4) For the coordination of library work, an inter-agency commission is created at the Education Commissariat from representatives of the agencies and organizations conducting it.

5) This commission decides questions regarding the reorganization of certain types of libraries, regarding the redistribution of book wealth, regarding the transition of certain types of libraries under the supervision of the Education Commissariat, and regarding the opening of new libraries at the request of agencies and organizations (naturally with their inclusion in the general network).

6) Libraries of all agencies and organizations are to change from closed to open, that is, to become libraries of public use, accessible to all citizens.

* The words underlined here in the original are crossed out by V. I. Lenin and replaced with new text.

** V. I. Lenin corrected the end of this phrase: "this network must work according to a definite plan, establish the basic types of libraries, link them by means of traveling collections, organize the exchange of books between libraries and thereby bring books closer to the reader—the worker and peasant."

7) Libraries of special character at scientific, educational and professional institutions, necessary for systematic scientific work, remain with the institutions that established them, on the obligatory condition of the existence at them of a reading room accessible to all readers.

8) State public libraries, the Petrograd and Moscow (Rumyantsev) libraries, are supplied on special terms, but the book collections, given the existence of certain technical conditions, must be accessible to use by the entire network.

9) Libraries at schools, at pre-school, at professional technical educational institutions, and central school libraries remain with the corresponding institutions and serve only the contingent of readers for which they are intended. Making these libraries available for general use on equal terms with public libraries is permitted by resolution of the local Provincial Department.

10) Libraries included in the Unified Library Network are supplied through the Education Commissariat.

11) The supply of books to libraries through the Education Commissariat in strict accordance with the information submitted by the Departments of Public Education regarding the quantity and types of libraries entering the Library Network.

12) Books coming into the possession of the Departments of Public Education are distributed among libraries of all types through library collecting centers.

Note: At the primary libraries, open children's departments and in any case

See at the end.

NB

§ 9 combine with § 7. See at the end.

Is it convenient? and s p e c i a l libraries??

? which? what is this?

children's departments. Special traveling collections of children's books may serve schools, children's homes, etc.

are to be opened are to be

It is necessary to rework the end and d e v e l o p , that is, better elaborate, the entire draft.

§§ 4 and 5 (Central Library Commission?) must be reworked: (a) write which agencies send representatives to the commission and how many

(b) give preponderance to the Education Commissariat (how?)

(c) define more precisely the rights of this commission (in a number of points)

W a r n i n g ! Do not submit the draft while there is no competent candidate for chairman of the commission.

§§ 7 and 8 must be reworked approximately as follows:

General use of libraries that are special (i.e., § 7 and § 9) and the two state-wide (Petrograd and Moscow (Rumyantsev)) is subject to certain limitations owing to such-and-such reasons. Limitations are established by t h e C e n t r a l L i b r a r y C o m m i s s i o n at the Education Commissariat.

ON MOBILIZING FORCES TO FIGHT WRANGEL

NOTE ON THE DRAFT DIRECTIVE OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b) WRITTEN BY I. V. STALIN

July 26, 1920

I am for i m m e d i a t e distribution, as a matter of unquestionable importance.

Lenin

PROJECT OF COMRADE STALIN

TO ALL PARTY ORGANIZATIONS

(as a circular)

According to our information, around Wrangel has gathered a group of experienced desperate cutthroat generals who will stop at nothing.

Wrangel's soldiers are forged into units magnificently, fight desperately, and prefer suicide to capture.

Technically, Wrangel's forces are supplied better than ours; the delivery from the west of tanks, armored vehicles, airplanes, ammunition, uniforms continues to this day, despite England's declaration of cessation of supply.

The weakness of our troops fighting against Wrangel consists in the fact that: first, they are diluted with prisoners of war, former Denikin men, often deserting to the enemy side, and second, they receive from the center neither in groups nor individually volunteers or mobilized communists.

It is necessary to purge these forces of former prisoners of war and regularly supply them with large contingents of volunteers or mobilized communists, so as to create a turnabout in them and give them the possibility to defeat the most fierce enemy.

Crimea must be returned to Russia at all costs, for otherwise Ukraine and the Caucasus will always be threatened by the enemies of Soviet Russia.

The Central Committee obligates you to intensify mass agitation in the spirit of the present circular letter and immediately organize the dispatch to the Crimean front of volunteers—communists and non-party members.

The Central Committee of the RCP(b)

Printed from typewritten copy.

TELEGRAM TO I. V. STALIN

August 2, 1920

Urgent. In cipher.

To Stalin

We just conducted in the Politburo a division of fronts so that you exclusively occupy yourself with Wrangel. In connection with uprisings, especially in the Kuban, and then in Siberia, the danger from Wrangel is becoming enormous, and within the Central Committee there is growing a tendency to immediately conclude peace with bourgeois Poland. I ask you very carefully to discuss the situation regarding Wrangel and give your conclusion. I agreed with the Commander-in-Chief that he will give you more ammunition, reinforcements and airplanes. Dzerzhinsky and his associates have founded the Polish Revolutionary Committee and issued a manifesto.

Lenin

NOTE TO D. I. KURSKY*

July 1920

Have measures been taken for i m m e d i a t e (1) creation in liberated territories of Soviet power; (2) convening of c o n g r e s s e s of Soviets; (3) expulsion of landowners, distribution of part of their land to the peasant poor, the remainder to councils of farm laborers?

RESOLUTION ON A NOTE FROM A SECRETARY

July 1920

In the reception room are waiting two comrades, brought from Azerbaijan, with a mandate from Narimanov. At your disposal are 6 cars of caviar. Awaiting your orders.

To the Food Commissariat for children's supplies.

* D. I. Kursky informed V. I. Lenin of a report received at the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic from the Western Front stating that the offensive of the 15th Army is developing successfully, the Poles are retreating (5 guns captured, 20,000 poods of hay, cars with automobile property and other trophies taken). In Minsk Province—uprisings; partisans derailed five trains.

RESOLUTION ON A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TULA PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE*

August 9, 1920

1) Send to Lobachev (Food Commissariat) for taking measures

2) and for a report to me

3) demand from the People's Commissariat of Railroads an explanation of the incident (250 versts, 12 days**)

4) accelerate action on point 3

5) on the agenda of the Council of People's Commissars on Tuesday.

NOTE TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF JUSTICE

August 12, 1920

Comrade K u r s k y !

Who is publishing so poorly?***

Chaos. Even the title is unclear.

A collection of trifles—and proclamations.

Did a foolish person or a saboteur edit it?

It would be good to publish the most important a c t u a l l y i n f o r c e (now, 1920) laws in the same volume.

Lenin

NOTE TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS****

August 12, 1920

To the Small Council: I ask you to consider the request (§ b in the Organizational Bureau in part). It is necessary to satisfy in a certain part, for the struggle against illiteracy is a task m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n o t h e r s.

Lenin

* In the letter it was reported of the grave food supply situation in Tula.

** The chairman of the provincial executive committee complained that 10 cars of rye, sent to Tula from the Kochetovka supply base on July 24, 1920, traveled 250 versts from Kochetovka to Tula for twelve days.

*** It concerns a collection of operative decrees from 1919, reprinted from the "Collection of Laws and Orders of the Workers' and Peasants' Government" for 1919.

**** Written on a letter from the leaders of the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for the Elimination of Illiteracy requesting the commission be strengthened with necessary personnel. In section "b" of the letter it is stated: "We need people, about fifteen qualified and unqualified workers. Recall from localities, mobilize in Moscow."

TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF RESORTS AND SANATORIUMS OF THE CAUCASUS

August 17, 1920

I ask you to render every assistance to the best arrangement and treatment of the bearer, Comrade Inessa Fedorovna Armand, with her sick son.

I ask that you accord these party comrades, personally known to me, full confidence and every assistance.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

NOTES ON MEMORANDA FROM SECRETARIES

August 17, 1920

Reed is requesting to see you today for 5 minutes. Very important matter.

Good. When will the Council of People's Commissars session end?

Is Vladimir Ilyich surely not going to see John Reed—it's already late, the matter will be drawn out?

Reed is sitting in his room waiting for a call. (He, by the way, has learned to speak Russian splendidly!)

If he requests very much and for 5 minutes, let him come now.

ON RATIONS FOR PETROGRAD SCIENTISTS

RESOLUTIONS ON LETTERS FROM A. M. GORKY

August 18, 1920

I ask the Small Council to consider the matter as soon as possible and, if possible, to satisfy*

* In his letter to the Council of People's Commissars, A. M. Gorky on behalf of the Petrograd Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientists requested the preservation of 2,000 academic rations issued for Petrograd scientists.

October 21, 1920

To the Council of People's Commissars

In view of the fact that products issued with the permission of the Food Commissariat by the provincial food committees for the Petrograd "Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientists," the Petrograd Commune intends to requisition—the chairman of the Petrograd Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientists requests the Council of People's Commissars to resolve:

All products issued with the permission of the Food Commissariat by the provincial food committees for the Petrograd Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientists are not subject to requisition or deduction by the Petrograd Commune against the norm of the ration approved by the Council of People's Commissars for Petrograd scientists.

Grounds for the petition:

From the Petrograd Commune ration the scientist must allocate up to 6% for the benefit of the employees of the House of Scientists and often the employees of such institutions as laboratories, offices, libraries, etc. If he does not feed his closest assistants, they will scatter to ration-bearing positions. Furthermore, the scientist divides his ration with his family.

Therefore, the House of Scientists necessarily must purchase products to support its clients, among whom there are not a few elderly and ill persons requiring enhanced nutrition.

M. Gorky

NOTE ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF LABOR AND DEFENSE WRITTEN BY I. V. STALIN

August 20, 1920

Resolution of the Council of Labor and Defense

Commission the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic to issue instructions to the Crimean and Caucasian fronts obligating our divisions, upon withdrawal, to take from the population all food surpluses and to strip the territory we are temporarily abandoning of horses (without injuring the workers).

Approved at the Council of Defense**.

__________ V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

To the Small Council of People's Commissars. I ask you to consider this matter as s o o n a s p o s s i b l e. From the appended it is clear that the order of the Food Commissariat (center) gives these products to the disposal of the Commission for the Improvement of the Living Conditions of Scientists (the Petrograd Commission). This means that without the agreement of the center, Petrograd has no right to requisition and deduct!

Lenin

* The text of the draft resolution was written by I. V. Stalin; the phrase in parentheses and the note about approval were written by V. I. Lenin.

NOTE ON A LETTER FROM I. V. STALIN

August 20, 1920

To the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP

I propose to order the member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Caucasian front, Comrade Orjonikidze, without delay to depart for Rostov and begin the execution of the duties of member of the Revolutionary Council of the front, leaving as his deputy in Baku one of the members of the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee or someone else of his choosing*.

Stalin

I agree.

Lenin

TELEGRAM TO THE PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES

SAMARA, SARATOV, POKROVSK REGION, UFA, SARAPUL, ROSTOV-ON-DON

August 26, 1920

Despite categorical instruction from the Center over the signature of the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars to your Provincial Food Committee, the execution of the grain order by the bases is almost non-existent. Such disregard by the Provincial Food Committee of orders from the Center is criminal. I insist on the most urgent execution of the order; I ask that you instruct the Provincial Food Committee with the most severe responsibility to urgently ship all seed rye. Report execution by telegram.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Lenin

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

TELEGRAM TO ALL PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES

August 26, 1920

By telegrams no. 584/t and 500/ba your Provincial Food Committee and Provincial Land Department were given a combat order to take the most urgent measures for internal redistribution of rye from the new harvest and remains of the old crop for seeding all winter fields in your province. Urgently inform us of the progress of the seed campaign, the threshing of the harvest, of all measures taken to fulfill the combat assignment.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Lenin

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

NOTES TO THE SMALL COUNCIL REGARDING V. V. VOROVSKY

August 27, 1920

To the Small Council

In view of the extremely grave and dangerous illness of Comrade Vorovsky (enteric fever, pneumonia, etc.), I ask urgently for permission to issue a substantial subsidy for treatment and enhanced nutrition.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

September 29, 1920

I support this request, for I myself saw the grave situation of Vorovsky and received the same indication from some comrades*.

Lenin

October 28, 1920

To the Small Council: I ask you to consider the request. If it is not possible to obtain a nurse on other terms, we may have to g o ahead with further expenses. It is absolutely necessary to finish his recovery and s e n d h i m t o I t a l y.

Lenin

* Written on the official memorandum of V. D. Bonch-Bruyevich to the Small Council of People's Commissars requesting a subsidy for V. V. Vorovsky.

# RESOLUTION ON A TELEGRAM FROM SARATOV*
31 August 1920

To the Small Soviet: it is necessary to centralize and unify assistance, distributing it correctly.

Lenin

ANNOTATION ON A NOTE FROM G. K. ORDZHONIKIDZE
August 1920

To Comrade Lenin

I request information on the situation regarding peace with Poland. I request Chicherin to answer.

Ordzhonikidze

ON THE "PROLETKULT" AND PROLETARIAN CULTURE

NOTE TO M. N. POKROVSKII
August 1920

Comrade Pokrovskii

1) What is the juridical status of the Proletkult?***

2) What is, and 3) by whom has been appointed, its leading center?

4) How much financing do you provide it from the People's Commissariat of Education?

5) What else is important regarding the status, role and results of the Proletkult's work.

Lenin

* The telegram set forth a request for an allocation of manufactures, footwear and household utensils for 345 families of railroad workers in Saratov who suffered from a fire.

** The People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs G. V. Chicherin gave the following reply: "We have transmitted our peace proposals to the Poles, we await a reply. The Poles declare that in view of the importance of our proposals they cannot say when they will give an answer."

*** Proletkults—so-called "proletarian cultural-educational organizations"—were created by representatives of the bourgeois intelligentsia in the first years of Soviet power.

The Proletkulturists proclaimed the creation of some special, allegedly "proletarian culture," not connected with the classical cultural heritage received from preceding generations.

The Central Committee of the Bolshevik Party in its letter "On the Proletkults," published in Pravda on 1 December 1920, indicated that these organizations "under the guise of 'proletarian culture' presented bourgeois views in philosophy (Machism) to workers. And in the field of art they inculcated in workers absurd, distorted tastes." See also the draft of Lenin's resolution "On Proletarian Culture" (Works, vol. XXV, pp. 409–410). A sketch of this resolution is published below.

ANNOTATIONS ON A MEMORANDUM FROM M. N. POKROVSKII
24 August 1920

To Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Comrade V. I. Lenin

In reply to your inquiry regarding the Proletkult I report that it is an autonomous organization working under the supervision of the People's Commissariat of Education and subsidized by it. The remaining information of interest to you is set forth in the attached memorandum...

How to make it real.

SKETCH OF A RESOLUTION ON PROLETARIAN CULTURE
8 October 1920

1. Not special ideas, but Marxism.

2. Not the invention of a new proletarian culture, but the development of the best specimens, traditions, results of the existing culture from the standpoint of the Marxist worldview and the conditions of life and struggle of the proletariat in the epoch of its dictatorship.

3. Not separately from the People's Commissariat of Education, but as part of it, because the RCP + the People's Commissariat of Education = ½ the Proletkult.

4. Close connection and subordination of the Proletkult to the People's Commissariat of Education.

NOTES FOR MEMORY*
August 1920

Write a letter to the Cheremkhovo coal miners (remind me when Ilyin calls again).

* In early August 1920, V. I. Lenin received through I. Ya. Ilyin a greeting letter from the Cheremkhovo coal miners. On 15 September 1920, Lenin wrote a reply letter "To the Chief Administration of Coal Mines of Eastern Siberia for the workers of the mines and likewise their technical personnel" (see Pravda of 7 November 1920).

ON THE DRAFT DECREE ON THE TURKESTAN REPUBLIC*
RESOLUTION ON THE DRAFT DECREE
3 September 1920

To Comrade Stalin for review.

Lenin

REVIEW BY I. V. STALIN
7 September 1920

I consider the draft insufficiently developed, full of glaring contradictions (for example subsection b) of paragraph 4), in places incompetently drawn up. I propose to submit it to a commission comprising representatives of the People's Commissariat of Nationalities, the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, and the People's Commissariat of Justice**.

The People's Commissariat of Nationalities and the People's Commissariat of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate

I. Stalin

ANNOTATION ON A LETTER FROM ACTRESS N. NIKULINA
3 September 1920

Most Esteemed Vladimir Ilyich

Only an impossible situation compels me to disturb you with the most humble request.

I am 74 years old, and for 51 of those years I have served, to the best of my ability and understanding, the Moscow I hold dear... Knowing how cramped living conditions are for the population, I myself willingly opened my home and gave up several rooms in my small house. I have retained only the rooms necessary for me or those unsuitable for habitation—cold, drafty passages.

Now I am threatened with the loss even of these rooms. I beseech you, help me... A few words written by your command will be sufficient guarantee for me.

With sincere respect, Honored Artist of the State Maly Theater

N. Nikulina

* On 31 August 1920, the Council of People's Commissars instructed the secretariat to "circulate the draft to all People's Commissariats and oblige them to submit their conclusions no later than Tuesday at the SNK" (protocol no. 383, item 7).

** On 7 September 1920, the Council of People's Commissars adopted the following decree: "Entrust the commission comprising representatives of the People's Commissariat of Nationalities, the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs and the People's Commissariat of Justice with reworking by Tuesday, 14 September, in final form the draft decree on the Turkestan Soviet Socialist Republic, instructing all People's Commissariats to submit their amendments to this commission within a two-day period" (protocol no. 384, item 6).

Check and confer: leave her alone.

LENIN COLLECTION

MEMORANDUM FROM L. A. FOTIEVA*
6 September 1920

Lidia Aleksandrovna. Read and send to the Scientific-Technical Section to check what has been done (letter to him?).

Lenin

LETTER TO A. G. SHLILKHTER
TAMBOV
9 September 1920

Comrade Shlilkhter!

I have a request of you: Nadezhda Konstantinovna has acquaintances in Tambov—an elderly woman Azanchevskaya and her daughter: Elizaveta Nikolaevna and Anna Vasilyevna Azanchevskaya.

Address: Tambov, Nikolaevskaya Hotel, room, it seems, no. 1.

She earnestly requests that you take measures to ensure they are provided with adequate food supplies. The old woman has fully deserved this.

Be so kind as to send me a note about what you have done and whether you have taken measures so that they are not forgotten without you (in your departure, etc.).

How are things in Tambov Province?

Famine?

Cannot you feed them? (from local resources).

What are you undertaking?

Best greetings!

Your Lenin

ANNOTATIONS ON A LETTER FROM S. M. KIROV
11 September 1920

Dear Vladimir Ilyich,

I am sending you the resolutions adopted at the meetings of the "Anatolian and Rumelian Society for the Protection of Rights." Although these resolutions were adopted a year ago, they have great interest even now, since the programme of activity of Mustafa Kemal's government is based precisely on these resolutions.

There is no special news here. The Georgian government continues in a state of reflection, not knowing for certain which way to turn—toward us or toward the Entente. And meanwhile the economic life of Georgia is becoming more and more disrupted with each day, and the moment is not far off when Noe Jordania, together with the Exarch of Georgia, will have to sing "By the Rivers of Babylon."

With warm communist greetings

S. Kirov

Tiflis, 30 August 1920

NB read (resolutions—base of ideas for State Planning Commission).

ON MEASURES OF AID TO SIBERIAN PEASANTRY

RECORD FROM THE RECEPTION OF A DELEGATE FROM SIBERIA
17 September 1920

(Poroskin)

Measures in Siberia

1) feed the poor with local grain
2) grinding—coarse (otherwise only 16 pounds remains)
3) give tar (organize tar-makers: not a pood of tar for a pood of bread)
4) give salt
5) give houses for gatherings (requisition)
6) those who thresh were paid with grain; this was forbidden; need to organize threshing for grain
7) "zemstvo carting"* is not organized: excessive burden of immoderate carting on peasants. Not organized. They cart needlessly.

FROM A LETTER TO THE SIBERIAN REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE
26 September 1920

I am sending you the following points for your consideration. Send me a brief note about them.

Lenin

1. Draw attention to the rural poor of Siberia, supply them with foodstuffs from the local grain requisition.

2. Organize tar production in Siberia with the involvement of the local Soviet and population (local tar production).

3. Peasants receive one pood of wheat and grind it into semolina, obtaining 18–20 pounds of flour. Better if they make it into ordinary flour; peasants will agree to this.

4. Draw special attention to rural blacksmith shops for the repair of agricultural machinery; supply them with coal.

Is it true that there were cases in Siberia of the use of cow butter for greasing carts (instead of tar)?

Lenin

Printed from typewritten copy.

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS*
23 September 1920

Comrade Chicherin! Here is the maximum boundary. It was adopted in the Teka. We must repeat it exactly.

Lenin

LETTER TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOOD*
26 September 1920

I am reporting an excerpt from a letter from Comrade Vladimirov (of 19 September).

"I have already agreed with Moscow for six days to send 50 routes to Ukraine for grain for the second half of September, but only one has arrived so far, and yet we must hurry. Perhaps you will urge them to hurry."

I request information on what measures have been taken**.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

* The memorandum was written by V. I. Lenin on a report from the Commander-in-Chief on the strategic significance of the new boundary between Soviet Russia and Poland, on the establishment of which negotiations were then being conducted between representatives of both countries.

** On 27 September, the People's Commissariat of Food reported to V. I. Lenin that the People's Commissariat of Railways had not taken necessary measures for grain exports. The Council of Labor and Defense, having discussed on 1 October the question of measures for grain exports from Ukraine, resolved: "Take note of the report of Comrade Sverdlov on measures taken for grain exports from the Kherson-Odessa region, in accordance with the telegram of Comrade Vladimirov" (protocol no. 155, item 18).

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOOD
27 September 1920

I am sending you two documents; I request you to read both and return both to me:

1) regarding Ivanovo-Voznesensk Province—we will raise this in the Defense Council on 29 September*.

It is necessary to draw the most careful attention and endeavor to satisfy their requests to the greatest possible degree.

2) Regarding Tambov Province.

Pay attention. Is the grain requisition of 11 million poods correct? Should it not be reduced?

With communist greetings

Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE SECRETARY OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
28 September 1920

Request details on the loss of Pinsk, of headquarters and material resources in this**.

Was the danger known beforehand?

MEMORANDUM TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOVIET DELEGATION IN LONDON
29–30 September 1920

I will not read this. I have already written to Chicherin more than once: enough grumbling; submit business proposals to the Teka***.

* The Council of Labor and Defense, having discussed on 1 October V. I. Lenin's report on supplying fuel and foodstuffs to the newly reopened factories of Ivanovo-Voznesensk Province, included in the shock group of textile enterprises, resolved: "a) To confirm the agreement between the Ivanovo-Voznesensk Provincial Food Committee and the People's Commissariat of Food of 28 September; b) To take note of the report of the People's Commissariat of Food on 40 cars of foodstuffs sent from Nizhny" (protocol no. 155, item 13).

** Pinsk was abandoned by the Red Army on 28 September 1920.

*** Written in connection with a complaint by G. V. Chicherin regarding the publication by the Petrograd Pravda without the permission of the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs of a report on the results of the trip of the Soviet delegation to London. "It is necessary," Chicherin wrote, "to take decisive measures. Our censorship must be absolutely binding—this was decreed, but violations pass unpunished."

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS
End of September 1920

I will send Stalin a telegram from Frunze about the First Cavalry Army*. Must I return it to you?

EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA WITH A. D. TSYURUPA
September 1920

Almost certainly yes. Call around 40 minutes.

Cannot you receive me tomorrow at 11 a.m.?

Around Thursday I plan to leave for Kharkov for 5–7 days.

With the permission of the doctor?

Today I finished recuperating at the sanatorium.

In Tauride Province we took 2 million poods of grain from Wrangel. We ought to take them more quickly and secure the Donbas.

ON THE SMOLENSK UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
3 October 1920

To the Small Soviet: in my opinion, do not give at all, for it is possible (and should be) to place the headquarters of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Western Front in other buildings, even if somewhat cramped.

Lenin

* In a telegram of 28 September 1920, the Commander of the Southern Front M. V. Frunze asked V. I. Lenin to speed up the transfer of the First Cavalry Army to the Southern Front: "The transition to general offensive depends on the time of arrival of the First Cavalry." On 3 October M. V. Frunze telegraphs V. I. Lenin again: "I consider the delay of Budenny's cavalry the worst, to which I constantly direct the attention of the Commander-in-Chief." On 4 October 1920, V. I. Lenin sent the following telegram to the Revolutionary Military Council of the First Cavalry Army: "It is extremely important to accelerate the movement of your army to the Southern Front with all your strength. I request that you take all measures for this, without resorting to heroic efforts. Telegraph what exactly you are doing" (M. V. Frunze on the Fronts of the Civil War, 1941, pp. 346, 353, 355).

** The memorandum was written on a draft telegram from the People's Commissariat of Military Affairs and the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs to the Revolutionary Military Council of the Western Front in Minsk on the fact that the Smolensk University could be occupied only upon the use of buildings provided by the Executive Committee.

DIRECT WIRE TELEGRAM TO THE REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE WESTERN FRONT*
COPY TO SKLYANSKII
2 November 1920

Despite the decree of the Council of People's Commissars on the evacuation of the buildings of Smolensk University, you, according to a report from People's Commissar for Health Comrade Semashko, have still not evacuated the buildings. I propose that you immediately carry out the decree of the Council of People's Commissars, evacuate the university buildings and report on execution.

I am raising the question of your non-fulfillment of the decree of the Council of People's Commissars and the imposition of penalties with the Council of People's Commissars.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS
12 October 1920

I propose that all necessary measures be taken immediately to check and repair the direct wire to Kharkov in my office, since, despite the amplifier, communication with Kharkov is impossible.

Report to me immediately the causes of the damage and the measures taken to repair it.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

ANNOTATION ON A LETTER FROM I. I. STEPANOV-SKVORTSOV
13 October 1920

Dear Vladimir Ilyich!

Engels' double jubilee is approaching*. I dare attempt to quickly write a popular booklet about him, asking the Central Committee for an appropriate postponement of the work on religion assigned to me. Please give me the biography of Engels written by Meyer for the time.

With communist greetings

I. Skvortsov

To I. I. Skvortsov. I gave it to Adoratskii.

Lenin

ON THE STRUGGLE AGAINST BANDIT GANGS IN TAMBOV PROVINCE

DIRECTIVE TO THE DEPUTY PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR FOR MILITARY AFFAIRS**
15 October 1920

Give the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic an order or rather an exact directive to achieve swift and complete liquidation. Report to me on the measures taken.

Chairman of the Council of Defense

Lenin

TO THE COMMANDER OF THE INTERNAL GUARD FORCES
COPY TO F. E. DZERZHINSKI***
19 October 1920

Comrade Shlilkhter reports to me of an increase in the uprising in Tambov Province, of the weakness of our forces, especially cavalry.

Swift (and exemplary) liquidation is absolutely necessary.

I request information on what measures are being taken. It is necessary to display more energy and provide more forces.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense

Vl. Ulyanov (Lenin)

* On 28 November 1920, it would be a hundred years since the birth of F. Engels; on 5 August 1920, it was twenty-five years since his death.

** The directive was written on a telegram from the Chairman of the Tambov Provincial Executive Committee requesting reinforcements for Red Army units acting against bandit groups in Tambov Province.

*** The document is printed from a typewritten copy (received from the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, fund 130, inv. 27, document 106).

LETTER TO THE EDITORIAL OFFICE OF THE JOURNAL
"COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL"
16 October 1920

To the Editorial Office of "Comintern"

I cannot write something new. If you wish, obtain my 1906 pamphlet "The Victory of the Kadets and the Tasks of the Workers' Party"* and reprint from it on dictatorship ("The Retreat" and something else).

It would come very much in handy. I will write a 20-line preface**.

With communist greetings

Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOOD
21 October 1920

Stavropol peasants (who brought grain for the children) complain that the cooperative does not distribute:
—wheel grease (it is in the warehouse)
—matches
—and other goods.

Herrings have rotted, but were not distributed.

Discontent is terrible. The Provincial Food Commissioner claims that the requisition has not been completely finished and only then will we give out.

They insist on the necessity of distributing immediately.

The grain requisition of 27 million poods is excessive, and they are taking seeds. There will surely be undersowing.

Stavropol Province—average harvest (27).

Kuban Province (37 million poods)—better than Stavropol.

I request urgent consideration, especially of the first point, and ask for your opinion no later than tomorrow.

Address: Kazan Station, freight platform, car no. 506,955, warm-up car on Krivoy Path, Petrov from the Provincial Party Committee.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

* See Works, vol. IX, pp. 79–143.

** See V. I. Lenin's article "On the History of the Question of Dictatorship," written by him on 20 October 1920 and published in the journal Communist International, no. 14 (Works, vol. XXV, pp. 429–447).

FROM A NOTE TO THE STATE PUBLISHING HOUSE*
21 October 1920

1) First—cottage industry handicrafts. Klein—a good book, we need more.

2) Second (Brodskii). An unnecessary and untimely undertaking for anyone.

ON THE ORGANIZATION OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ECONOMIC PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIATS

DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS**
26 October 1920

Create a preliminary conference on the question of organizational connections between all economic People's Commissariats.

Instruct all economic People's Commissariats, in particular the People's Commissariat of Food, the Supreme Council of the National Economy, the People's Commissariat of Railways and the People's Commissariat of Land, to submit to this conference by Monday, 1 November, information on all existing interdepartmental economic commissions and briefly on the results of their work.

SKETCH OF PROPOSALS
1 November 1920

1) Instruct the same troika (Avanesov + Larin + Popov)* to study more precisely by composition, character of work, etc. all commissions, classify them, draw conclusions regarding necessary unification and simplification, and present a report to us on Saturday, 6 November.

2) Instruct (1) the Central Production Commission (2) GOELRO (3) The Commission on Utilization (4) and the People's Commissariat of Land to prepare a report to our commission on the character and results of their work from the standpoint of the general economic plan of the entire RSFSR, and at the next meeting (6 November) to provide information on:

(a) in what timeframe the report can be ready

(b) what are the main themes (or what is the main content) of their report from the standpoint of the general economic plan of the RSFSR (if possible, provide written theses of the report).

RECORD ON GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSIONS
1 December 1920

About 90. 90 (circa) — 45 (circa) = 45 (circa) commissions.

1. Chief Fuel Administration — Council of Labor and Defense
2. Construction Production — Council of Labor and Defense
3. Processing Industry — Supreme Council of the National Economy
4. Military Industry — Supreme Council of the National Economy + Military Department
5. Basic Transport Commission + Supreme Council of Railways — People's Commissariat of Railways
6. Agriculture — People's Commissariat of Land
7. Commission on Staffing — People's Commissariat of Labor
8. Commission on Material Resources — Council of Labor and Defense
9. Commission on External Trade — People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade
10. Cottage Industry — Supreme Council of the National Economy

Overall Planning

FROM A PHONOGRAM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN TRADE AND THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY
27 October 1920

I request that you organize... a conference on the question of the status and measures for developing the gold-mining industry in Siberia.

I request the conclusions of the conference for transmission to the Council of People's Commissars or for resolving the question through agreement between departments, etc.*.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Lenin

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATISTICAL MATERIALS ON SOVIET EMPLOYEES

MEMORANDUM TO P. I. POPOV**
30 October 1920

1) Number of Soviet employees
2) By People's Commissariats
3) If possible—by departments
4) If possible—by main categories (specialists, support staff, office workers, etc.)
5) Other information (gender, etc.) depending on what information is available in the inquiry card.

I request that the work be divided into two parts:

1) The briefest information (number, etc.). No more than 4 weeks.
2) Detailed information—how many weeks?
3) Most detailed—how many weeks?

V. Lenin

Printed from typewritten copy.

FROM A MEMORANDUM TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
1 November 1920

Most urgent

Comrade Gorky informs me of the following:

"Permit me to remind you that by moving some institutions from Moscow to Petrograd, you would free up many apartments here; the housing crisis in Moscow is taking on a tragic character with the onset of cold weather."

I request urgent consideration of this question...

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

LETTER TO R. E. KLASON
2 November 1920

Comrade Klason!

I fear that you—forgive my frankness—will not be able to use the decree of the Council of People's Commissars on Hydro-Peat. I fear this because you apparently spent too much time on "senseless daydreams" about the restoration of capitalism and did not pay sufficient attention to the extremely peculiar characteristics of the transitional period from capitalism to socialism. But I say this not with the aim of reproach and not only because I remembered the theoretical debates of 1894–1895 with you, but with a strictly practical aim.

In order to use the decree of the Council of People's Commissars properly, it is necessary:

1) ruthlessly and strictly and in timely fashion lodge appeals against its violations, attentively monitoring its fulfillment and, of course, selecting for appeal only cases fitting the rule "rarely but to the mark."

2) From time to time—again following the same rule—write to me (NB in the envelope: Personally from such-and-such on such-and-such matter):

I request that a reminder or inquiry such-and-such (draft text on a separate sheet) be sent to such-and-such a person or institution on such-and-such a question, in view of the recognition of "Hydro-Peat's" work as of state importance.

If you do not let me down, i.e., if the reminders and inquiries are strictly business-like (without departmental wrangling or polemics), then I will sign such reminders and inquiries in 2 minutes and they will sometimes bring practical benefit*.

With wishes for swift and great success to your invention and with greetings

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

ADDITIONS TO THE DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON A SINGLE TRACTOR FARM**
2 November 1920

§ 8. Instruct the People's Commissariat of Land once a month, beginning 1 December, to provide to the Council of People's Commissars in brief written form information on:

the number of serviceable tractors;
unserviceable but repairable tractors;
repaired tractors;
those being produced in the Russian SFSR;
those ordered abroad and imported from abroad;
tractor mechanics under training and completing courses.

* Having heard on 12 December 1920 a report on the progress of the Hydro-Peat work, the Council of People's Commissars resolved:

"a) Accept in principle the proposals of the Hydro-Peat on permission, as an exception, to purchase on the free market certain tools and on the militarization of the Hydro-Peat personnel and instruct the Small Soviet and the Council of Defense, as appropriate, to confirm them in final form.

b) ... Indicate that Hydro-Peat should direct its reports to the Council of People's Commissars through the Chief Fuel Administration and the presidium of the Supreme Council of the National Economy.

c) Instruct Hydro-Peat in its next report to pay great attention to expanding work toward the upcoming season in general and to the possibility of obtaining machines, tools from abroad, as well as attracting engineers and technicians, etc.

d) Instruct Hydro-Peat in particular to concern itself with increasing the number of peat-extraction machines that could be put into operation in the shortest possible timeframe" (protocol no. 404, item 9).

** This decree envisaged—for the purpose of proper organization of tractor farming—the following procedure: "All tractors with all spare parts, tractor agricultural implements and carts, whatever their systems, are placed on the register of the People's Commissariat of Land and distributed by it in accordance with the general production plan."

ON THE INTRODUCTION OF A BASIC NORM FOR WORKERS' SUPPLY

[SKETCH OF QUESTIONS TO A DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
2 November 1920

Previous quantity of food products?

1) Or less? Or more? And by how much?

2) Reduction of 18 norms to 5?

3) Reduction of what is actually received by establishing a different order?

What categories? What number of workers in each category? By how much less?

4) Railroad workers?

DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS*
6 November 1920

Recognizing the policy of the People's Commissariat of Food, consisting of a reduction in the number of supply norms, to be fully correct, instruct the People's Commissariat of Food to submit a decree on the reduction in the number of norms for issuing bread with an exact listing of these norms.

LETTER TO THE COMMISSION ON WORKERS' SUPPLY**
12 November 1920

Is it not possible regarding the question of the number of workers' supply norms to establish the following procedure:

1) establish by number the minimum quantity of norms, for example:

norm no. 1 usual minimum
norm no. 2 higher, such-and-such
norm no. 3
and so on up to no. 10 the highest norm, if the total number of norms can be limited to 10 norms.

2) Determine each month what number of consumers (workers or employees plus family members) receive each norm.

If this could be done, we would know precisely how many norms: firstly.

Secondly, we could easily move individual groups from one norm to another.

Thirdly, we would always know how much was actually distributed and to what number of workers.

Lenin

LETTER FROM S. P. SEREDA
6 November 1920

Comrade Sereda!

I consider the articles by Mikhels'son that you sent me to be of extreme importance.

It is necessary

1) immediately give them (correcting the style, combining into 1 article, editing) to Izvestia and Pravda.

2) Supply them with your Afterward: conclusions (practical conclusions).

3) A brief extract for Rosta for circulation throughout Russia.

4) Include all of this necessarily a) in your printed report for the Congress of Soviets on 20 December, b) in your oral report (substance and practical conclusions).

All of this must be prepared in advance and force the specialists to do all preparatory work for your report in a timely manner*.

With communist greetings

Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE LIBRARIAN
10 November 1920

Is it not possible to obtain for me (for reading only, for 1 week) the book: Golovacheva-Panaeva: "Memoirs." SPB. 1890.

PHONOGRAM TO THE MANAGER OF THE TELEPHONE NETWORK
11 November 1920

I request repair of the telephone to the "Chaika" sanatorium (they report that the cause of damage is the destruction of one pole near the village with a name like Ivankov).

I request that you report to me on the repairs.

Chairman of the Council of Defense

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

MEMORANDUM TO M. I. KALININ
12 November 1920

Comrade Kalinin! I am sending you the draft decrees on Siberian concessions that have passed through the commission (these drafts will go for approval by the Council of People's Commissars, probably next week). The question of food concessions remains insufficiently developed here.

Press on this question, in accordance with what we discussed today.

Lenin

ON THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE VILLAGE OF KASHINO

ANNOTATIONS ON A LETTER FROM KASHINO PEASANTS
12 November 1920

Citizens Lenin

Esteemed Comrade,

The Board of the Association hereby informs you that on 14 November of this month there will be an opening of electric lighting in the settlement of Kashino, to which we most humbly request you to attend, to share in the joy we feel at the sight of electric lighting in peasant huts, something the peasants dared not dream of under the rule of the tsars. Your presence is most desirable.

Order of celebration:

1) Reception of guests from 7 o'clock in the morning in the house of brothers Z. and K. Pashkin.

2) At 4 o'clock a meeting with a music orchestra and singing of the "Internationale."

3) At 6 o'clock in the evening a dinner.

4) At 8 o'clock in the evening a ballet by village youth with participation of a string orchestra.

Chairman of the Board D. Rodionov

Members of the commission for organizing the celebration

S. Kurkov

O. Korobkov

* By invitation of the peasants, on 14 November 1920, V. I. Lenin, together with N. K. Krupskaya, attended the opening of an electric power station, equipped by the local agricultural cooperative in the village of Kashino, Yaropolsky district, Volokolamsk uyezd, Moscow Province. V. I. Lenin spoke at the meeting, conversed with the peasants.

In his report to the Eighth Congress of Soviets on 22 December 1920, V. I. Lenin said: "I happened not long ago to attend a peasant celebration in a remote locality of Moscow Province, in Volokolamsk uyezd, where peasants have electric lighting. A meeting was organized in the street, and one of the peasants came out and began to speak a speech in which he greeted this new event in peasant life. He said that we peasants were dark, and now light has appeared for us, an 'unnatural light that will illuminate our peasant darkness.' I personally was not surprised by these words. Of course, for the non-party peasant masses, electric light is an 'unnatural' light, but for us it is unnatural that for hundreds, thousands of years peasants and workers were able to live in such darkness, in poverty, in oppression under landlords and capitalists. One cannot leap out of this darkness quickly. But we must achieve in the present moment so that each electric power station we build becomes truly a support for enlightenment, so that it concerns itself, so to speak, with the electrical education of the masses" (Works, vol. XXVI, p. 47).

From Volokolamsk along the highway through Shchekino, Putyatino, turning right from the highway about 1½ versts is Kashino*.

MEMORANDUM TO THE ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE MOSCOW COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY
20 November 1920

According to reports from a representative from the localities (Comrade Kurkov from the village of Kashino), a dynamo-machine could be manufactured at the Dynamo Factory (at the Simonov Monastery, near Moscow, beyond the Spasskaya Gate) (1 verst from Moscow).

ON ELECTRIC PLOWS

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF LAND
15 November 1920

Comrade Sereda

For three major centers of Ivanovo-Voznesensk Province that lack electrification:
—Ivanovo-Voznesensk
—Shuya
—Kineshma

workers are requesting electric plows. I request that you obtain information and report to me whether it is possible to fulfill this and what conditions are required for it*.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from typewritten copy.

TO THE SMALL SOVIET

No later than 23 November 1920

I request that you resolve by Saturday (so that it can go to the Large Council of People's Commissars on Saturday) the question of ordering electro-plowing equipment (People's Commissariat of Land). Urgent!**

Lenin

ANNOTATIONS AND RESOLUTIONS ON A LETTER FROM THE ELECTRICAL TRUST
28 November 1920

Comrade Sereda! Return this to me, please, after review, and inform me (1) is it true, is it completely accurate how your order is reproduced? (2) is it not too late by 1 April 1921? (3) is there information on the progress of work on the order?

Lenin

Regarding the order of the People's Commissariat of Land for electric plowing equipment

According to the order of 24 September of this year, no. 1181*

The Bureau for the Electrification of Agriculture transmitted to us an order for:

48 1) 48 units of electric motors 60–75 h.p., 2,000 v., 730 rev., with accessories.

2,000 2) 24 units of transformers 6,000/2,300 volts, with capacity of 70–80 kv.

3) 30,000 units of insulators.

4) 10,000 meters of flexible cable 3x6 sq. mm.

5) 6,000 poods of bare copper.

Position 3 has been ordered to the "Insulator" factory in Moscow, while positions 4 and 5 have been transmitted to the Northern Cable Factories.

According to the communication of the production section of the electrical engineering industry subsection of 4 of this month, the latter two factories have unconditionally set the deadline for execution of the order as 1 April 1921. These factories have made no statements about a shortage of raw materials, semi-finished products, or labor.

As regards the electric motors and transformers with accessories and switching apparatus, these in final form have been transmitted to factories no. 26, Siemens-Schuckert in Petrograd and the former Dynamo factory in Moscow in the following volume and with the following deadlines for manufacture:

1) 20 motors with accessories and 10 transformers are manufactured by the former Siemens-Schuckert factory by 1 April 1921

2) 10 motors with accessories and 5 transformers are manufactured by the same factory by 1 June 1921

3) 10 motors and 5 transformers are manufactured by the former Dynamo factory by 1 April 1921...

We have taken measures to supply the factories with the lacking materials and we believe that the first batch of the People's Commissariat of Land's order will be executed by the required deadline.

Annotations on a memorandum from the People's Commissariat of Land

Return both documents to me.

30 November 1920

Having reviewed the memorandum from the "Electro-Force" section, the Department of Electrification of Agriculture hereby confirms the correctness of the communication no. 470 of 25 November of this year.

The difference in the number of motors (48 and 40 units) is explained by the fact that eight motors are being ordered as reserves in case of damage to the main ones.

For these eight motors a firm deadline has not been determined; they will be built "as quickly as possible." In all other respects, all the data corresponds to the reality of the order.

At the Petrograd factories and in part at the Moscow factories, execution of the order is already underway, despite the fact that workers and employees are not receiving the promised basic and bonus rations.

The entire matter is being conducted and advanced by the trust and authority of a number of active workers, which abnormal situation must be regulated by urgent confirmation of the entire situation regarding the order and in particular by assuring food rations for workers and employees. What must confirm this?

Strange lack of clarity. Who should approve it?

The Council of People's Commissars? Why does the People's Commissariat of Land not submit (1) on the order and (2) on the rations? I request a reply.

Lenin

As for the deadline for execution of the order, the People's Commissariat of Land had in mind earlier deadlines, but the Electrical Trust maintains that it cannot execute the order faster.

The deadline for execution of the order by 1 April will make it possible to use the equipment in the spring campaign. The July deadline is too late for the garden campaign.

MEMORANDUM TO THE MANAGER OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS AND THE COUNCIL OF LABOR AND DEFENSE
28 December 1920

I found today on my desk the attached document.

I do not know from whom.

I am very interested in this matter. I feel completely ill from insomnia and therefore request that you monitor this matter, check on its execution, and write (if necessary) additionally on my behalf.

Please speak with the appropriate member of the presidium of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, show him this letter, discuss what measures of assistance are possible and necessary (perhaps gather the Petrograd delegates of the 8th Congress while they are still here, and speak with them: do this necessarily—there may be other measures for clarifying what is lacking and finding the means to help) and try to help in every way.

With communist greetings

Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN TRADE
COPY TO COMRADE KURSKII
15 November 1920

Gorky reminds me of the decree regarding the confiscation of the property of émigrés.

It seems this was already agreed upon.

Why has it stalled?

Find out, please, hurry it along, and tell me at the Council of People's Commissars on the 16th.

With communist greetings

Lenin

* On 16 November, the Council of People's Commissars was scheduled to consider the draft decree on the confiscation of émigré property and adopted the following decree:

"The Council of People's Commissars resolves:

1. Declare as the property of the RSFSR all movable property of citizens who have fled beyond the borders of the republic or who are hiding at the present time, whatever it may consist of and wherever it may be found.

2. From the aforementioned property, all objects of art and antiquity having special artistic and historical value shall be transferred to museums, universities and other educational institutions at the disposition of the People's Commissariat of Education; all other property of such citizens shall be converted into the commodity fund of the republic and transferred to the disposition of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade and other People's Commissariats as appropriate.

3. The People's Commissariats of Education and Foreign Trade, in execution of the present decree, shall issue a detailed instruction" (Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism, doc. no. 13409).

PHONOGRAM TO THE DEPUTY PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR FOR POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS LYUBOVICH
17 November 1920

I am extremely surprised and outraged that, contrary to our telephone conversation yesterday, you did not submit the question of the Nizhny Novgorod radio station to the Council of Labor and Defense on 17 November.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense

Lenin

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

ON THE ELECTRIFICATION OF YAROPOLSKAYA DISTRICT OF VOLOKOLAMSK UYEZD*

20 November 1920

DIRECTIVE TO THE SECRETARY**

Keep this secret and remind me when Kirilin from Yaropolets (Volokolamsk uyezd) visits me.

NOTES

Request from the Supreme Council of the National Economy a report on the electrification of Yaropolskaya district (or Yaropolsky region) of Volokolamsk uyezd of Moscow Province.

The main thing—copper.

Engineer Ringo, head of the electrical department of Moscow Province, advocates for starting up local electrical equipment factories (Vishnyakov and Shamshin, for example, in Moscow), with raw materials available, among other places, at the Raiovo warehouse (art warehouse, Moscow Province, 9 versts from Moscow: millions of poods of copper, brought together during the war from various places, especially from Poland). (Inquire about Ringo)

(1) to help with electrification
(2) public education
(3) flax cultivation.

* Representatives of 14 villages of Yaropolskaya district of Volokolamsk uyezd appealed to V. I. Lenin with a request for assistance in the electrification of their district.

** Written on the memorandum sent to V. I. Lenin about the quantity of non-ferrous metals stored at the Raiovo warehouse (Moscow Province).

# LENIN COLLECTED WORKS

## ON HIGHER ARTISTIC EDUCATION

November 20, 1920

To the Small Soviet

In my opinion, it is necessary to supplement [the regulations] with an article (or note):
the rules indicated in § 4 must be worked out within a timeframe such-and-such (brief) and reported to the Small Council of People's Commissars*.

N B :
N B :
must be included     ( 
in the curriculum. What     J (!) Political Literacy
control. )     (2) and communist propaganda

Lenin

V

REMARKS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS*

December 18, 1920

... 3. For the preparatory course at the Workshops, workers are admitted in the first instance, and no special preparation for admission to this course is required of them.

Note: At the preparatory course, teaching of political literacy and the fundamentals of communist world-view is obligatory on all courses.

read: on all courses { note to § 3).

Lenin

*

The following paragraph of the Council of People's Commissars decree "On the Moscow Higher State Art-Technical Workshops," adopted December 18, 1920, is in question:

"Admitted students are considered to be fulfilling educational obligations under supervision of studies on the basis of special rules, which must be established by Glavkomtrud jointly with the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment within a two-week period and submitted for approval to the Council of People's Commissars" (protocol No. 406, item 6).

YEAR 1920

FROM CONVERSATIONS BY DIRECT WIRE
BETWEEN V. I. LENIN AND I. V. STALIN*

No later than November 20, 1920

Without convening the Politburo I cannot give any answer whatsoever. I advise you either to submit a concrete proposal immediately and at once raise it in the Politburo, or act yourself on the precise basis of the authority Stalin possesses, or finally, to hasten your arrival in Moscow for a decision on the entire Caucasian question as a whole. In any case it is necessary to strengthen and accelerate the approach of reinforcements and inform me what precisely your decision is.

Lenin

To Lenin. Reply to the note. Tonight I am departing for Moscow. I am giving Ordzhonikidze instructions to conduct preparatory work and await directives from Moscow. I will discuss with the front about accelerating the transfer.

Stalin

Printed from a typewritten copy.

EXCHANGE OF NOTES WITH I. V. STALIN

November 1920

NOTE FROM I. V. STALIN

Comrade Lenin!

When will it be possible for me to speak with you about my work at the center (I need about 20 minutes)?

Stalin

*

I. V. Stalin informed V. I. Lenin from Baku of information received from G. K. Ordzhonikidze concerning the threat to Soviet Azerbaijan from Menshevik Georgia, which was in fact in the hands of foreign imperialists. In communicating the practical measures proposed by Comrade Ordzhonikidze, I. V. Stalin asked V. I. Lenin to give the necessary directives on this question.

The first part of the document represents V. I. Lenin's reply to the request of I. V. Stalin. The second part is I. V. Stalin's reply.

V. I. LENIN'S REPLY

1) Either today (hardly: already tired)
2) tomorrow, if there is a session, or will you come?
3) on Saturday?

NOTE FROM I. V. STALIN

It makes no difference to me when; consider only your convenience and only yours (I can come if you say and when you say).

ORDER TO THE STATE PUBLISHING HOUSE*

November 26, 1920

I request that [you] absolutely publish by the deadline and inform me immediately.

Lenin

ON THE SUBJECT MATTER OF CINEMA NEWSREELS

November 26, 1920

Cinema-photo

1) Maternity homes and child welfare.
2) Palaces converted into children's homes.
3) Wrangel front.

DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS ON DIRECT TAXES**

November 30, 1920

§ 1. 1) Commission the commission to additionally review within the course of 1 week the question,

first, on the possibility of abolishing local monetary taxes and to collect precise data both for the Petrograd and Moscow provinces and, where possible, for other provinces;

*

The Deputy People's Commissar of Nationalities appealed to V. I. Lenin with a request to influence the State Publishing House, which was delaying the release of a collection of decrees of the Soviet authorities on the national question prepared on V. I. Lenin's instructions for the forthcoming December 15 conference of national workers of the RSFSR.

** The draft written by V. I. Lenin was adopted by the Council of People's Commissars on November 30, 1920.

second, on the necessity to prepare and implement simultaneously both the abolition of monetary taxes and the transformation of the surplus requisition into a tax in kind;

§ 2. 2) Commission the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs to appeal to the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee with a request to require from all local executive committees information and materials for the Congress of Soviets on all questions touched upon in § 1.

§ 3. 3) Commission the People's Commissariat of Finance to submit to the Council of People's Commissars a draft decree of the Council on the questions indicated in § 1, depending on the decision of the commission.

ON THE REORGANIZATION OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF ENLIGHTENMENT

DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE

November 1920

Postpone the reorganization of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment as a whole, subjecting the question to more careful discussion.

Immediately carry out the following measure:

1) Create the position of Deputy People's Commissar, entrusting him with complete direction of all administrative work and subordinating to him in this respect all sectors and departments of the Commissariat;

2) Appoint Comrade Litksens to this position, introducing him into the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment and entrusting him not to abandon his work in the Main Political Education Administration, but to devote to it necessarily not less than half of his working hours, and immediately oblige the Main Political Education Administration to find and introduce a deputy for Litksens in the Main Political Education Administration.

3) Commission Comrade Litksens to prepare a draft precise instruction concerning the functions and rights of the Deputy People's Commissar.

LETTER TO A. V. LUNACHARSKY

November 29, 1920

Comrade Lunacharsky! We spoke with Comrade Litksens yesterday in detail. In my view, his and Solovyev's projects are artificial. The Central Committee will decide, of course. My preliminary considerations are as follows:

1) Create the position of Deputy People's Commissar, transferring to him all administration.

2) Transform the "Organizational Sector" into an "Organizational Center" (with a head—member of the collegium). This center manages the administrative, organizational, supply and similar aspects of all sectors.

3) Abolish the Main Administration of Professional-Technical Education, merging it with the second-level school, on condition that (a) increase general and political subjects in second-level schools and (ß) ensure, as far as possible, the transition from vocational-technical education to polytechnical education.

4) "Gus" (State Academic Council) revive and put in order as an organ for discussing all scientific-pedagogical questions. (Composition = all collegium members + best specialists, even if bourgeois).

5) Create sectors as follows: (1) preschool, (2) first-level school, (3) second-level school (= Main Administration of Professional-Technical Education), (4) out-of-school (= Main Political Education Administration), (5) higher school, (6) artistic.

6) Leave the artistic sector as a unified sector, placing "political commissars" from communists in all central and leading institutions of this sector.

Lenin

NOTES ON MEMORANDA FROM THE LIBRARIAN

November 1920

Vladimir Ilyich,

Be so kind as to write to me concerning the following:

1) What to do with newspapers from Tiflis? Yes.
2) Do you need books published in Tiflis (list enclosed)?
3) One comrade brought a complete set of the guard journal "L'Europe nouvelle*. Please. Paris*. If you are interested, it is possible to obtain it.

Librarian Sh. Manucharyantz

ф To the editorial office of "Pravda" for transmission to the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment, department of white literature.

* "New Europe." Paris.

L. A. Ishkov. The Workers' Movement and State Development of England in the Second Half of the XVIII and XIX Centuries.

Documents and Materials on the Foreign Policy of Transcaucasia and Georgia.

N. N. Zhordania. For 2 Years (from March 1, 1917 to March 1, 1919). Reports and Speeches.

Arslan Причинений. Essays on Russian Policy on the Borderlands. From the History of Armenian-Georgian Relations in 1918.

Karibi. Red Book of 1920. Armenian Revolutionary Figures in Turkish Armenia and Here.

I request all [of these].

ON ORGANIZING SANITARY-QUARANTINE CHECKPOINTS
AT MOSCOW RAILWAY STATIONS

MEMORANDA TO THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFAIRS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

Autumn 1920

Have you received an order from Semashko?

I very much request that you exert maximum effort and report to me weekly the actual results, what has been done* .

*

The People's Commissariat of Health commissioned V. D. Bonch-Bruevich to organize a Committee for the construction of sanitary-quarantine checkpoints at Moscow railway stations to meet echelons of demobilized units of the Red Army.

In reply to this memorandum, V. D. Bonch-Bruevich informed V. I. Lenin: "1) On Friday a commission is convening at the People's Commissariat of Health (organizational). 2) The technical apparatus (main) has been selected. 3) Part of the materials have been found. 4) The draft of constructions has been worked out, will be approved on Friday. 5) On Saturday work will begin."

January 5, 1921

Find out in whose jurisdiction these checkpoints fall? Moscow Soviet Department? under what People's Commissariat?

and check with a formal inquiry both the Moscow Soviet Department and the corresponding People's Commissariat*.

Lenin

Dear Vladimir Ilyich, Nadezhda Konstantinovna told me that she will not go tomorrow. I request your instructions as to when exactly you wish to go. If possible, it would be better at 11 o'clock. Dzerzhinsky and Semashko wanted to go. I will tell them**. — Vlad. Bonch-Bruevich

* The order was written by V. I. Lenin on a letter from V. D. Bonch-Bruevich in which he reported that Moskovskoe did not release firewood for the sanitary-quarantine checkpoints at Moscow railway stations, prepared for meeting echelons of demobilized units of the Red Army.

** The matter concerned a visit for the purpose of inspecting the Moscow sanitary-quarantine checkpoints by V. I. Lenin, F. E. Dzerzhinsky, and N. A. Semashko.

ON THE REORGANIZATION OF THE COUNCIL OF LABOR AND DEFENSE

SKETCHES OF A RESOLUTION OF THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION

December 1, 1920

The Council of People's Commissars petitions [before] the All-Russian Central Executive Committee to establish:

1. The Council of Labor and Defense is expanded to include the People's Commissar of Agriculture.

2. The Council of Labor and Defense is commissioned to discuss the division of its sessions into ordinary and economic ones.

§ 3 . L i m i t s o f j u r i s d i c t i o n :

(1) unification of all work of economic People's Commissariats;
(2) approval and implementation of a unified economic plan of the RSFSR;

(3) directing the work of economic People's Commissariats in accordance with this plan and establishing, if necessary, deviations from it;

4 (new);
+ Do not create a separate apparatus.

RESOLUTION ON THE DRAFT STATUTE OF THE COUNCIL
OF LABOR AND DEFENSE

December 11, 1920

To the All-Russian Central Executive Committee

Approved in the Council of People's Commissars December 11, 1920*.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

DRAFT**

At a moment of mounting tension in the struggle of the Soviet Republic against world imperialism, on November 30, 1918, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee established the Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense.

Fulfilling the task entrusted to it, the Council of Defense unified the work of the military and other departments in mobilizing the forces and resources of the country in the interests of defense.

The military situation in April 1920 made it possible for the Soviet Republic to begin economic construction, and the Council of Defense was given the task of the closest unification of work on the labor front and, accordingly, the Council of Defense was transformed into the Council of Labor and Defense. At the present time the tasks of economic construction stand before the Soviet Republic in full scope, and along with this arises the need for more precise formulation and consolidation of the organizational experience achieved by the Council of Labor and Defense and the establishment of relations between the Council of Labor and Defense and the central organs of Soviet authority, wherefore the All-Russian Central Executive Committee decrees, in amendment and supplement to the decree of November 30, 1918 (Collection of Laws No. 91), the following statute concerning the Council of Labor and Defense.

*

The decree of the Council of People's Commissars states: "Approve the draft, adding to the composition of the Council of Defense the People's Commissar of Labor. Submit it to the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee for submission to the Congress of Soviets" (protocol No. 404, item 1 [illegible]).

The draft statute on the Council of Labor and Defense, submitted on behalf of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars for consideration at the VIII Congress of Soviets, was approved by the Congress on December 29, 1920 ("Collection of Laws and Decrees of the Workers' and Peasants' Government" No. 1, January 3, 1921).

** The draft statute on the Council of Labor and Defense is printed from the original corrected by V. I. Lenin.

1. The Council of Labor and Defense acts in the capacity of a commission of the Council of People's Commissars.

2. The Council of Labor and Defense consists of: in his capacity as its chairman—the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars and in their capacity as its members the People's Commissars: of Military Affairs, of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, of Labor, of Ways and Communications, of Agriculture, of Food Supply, and of Workers' and Peasants' Inspection, and one representative of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions. The Manager of the Central Statistical Administration participates with a consultative voice.

Note: Deputies are appointed by the Council of People's Commissars.

3. The Council of Labor and Defense has authority over the affairs of the RSFSR in that part which concerns the defense of the Republic and the unification of the work of economic People's Commissariats.

4. In implementation of the task entrusted to it, the Council of Labor and Defense issues decrees, directives, instructions and takes all measures necessary for proper and rapid fulfillment thereof, in particular, it establishes a unified economic plan of the RSFSR, submits it for approval by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, directs the work of economic People's Commissariats in accordance with this plan, supervises its implementation and establishes, if necessary, deviations from this plan.

5. For all departments and institutions, central and local, and for all citizens, the decrees of the Council of Labor and Defense are unconditionally binding.

6. The All-Russian Central Executive Committee of Soviets and the Council of People's Commissars have the right to annul or suspend any decree or decision of the Council of Labor and Defense either upon the protest of individual People's Commissars or at their discretion.

ON THE PLAN FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF RUSSIA

NOTES ON A LETTER FROM ENGINEER KOZMÍN

December 2, 1920

Esteemed Comrade Vladimir Ilyich,

I have become acquainted with the minimum program of the "epoch of great works" concerning electrification and feel obliged to send you this memorandum... In Goelro, not all our major scientific-technical forces were utilized. One of the most serious errors is that the question of lighting villages by a windmill was not even raised. Yet the real possibilities for solving this question exist (technical Request of Kozmín for details about a and ß.

Lenin

Is this so? Check.

and economic).

The largest specialist in electrical engineering, Prof. Artemyev (Nikolai Andreyevich), did not participate in the work of Goelro—a major practical specialist and theoretician, perhaps the only one in Russia.

Germany (Europe generally) and America know of him.

In technique he is a revolutionary, and I know him as a colleague from the Kiev Polytechnic. Lately we have been discussing with him the question of accumulating solar heat. Science does not consider this madness...

He invented the thermos, with the help of which it is possible to reduce fuel expenditure for the kitchen by half, ß having discovered a new principle of cooking... Summon him and speak with him. He has colossal energy for work... Now he is at Petrovsky-Razumovsky in the Agricultural Academy as a professor of electrical engineering—a small matter for him...

Incorrect. He is connected with Kzhizhanovsky.

NOTES ON THE BOOK "PLAN FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF RUSSIA"*

December 1920

The probable average annual export surplus abroad over the course of a decade can be estimated at approximately 1.8 billion rubles, of which approximately 1.0 billion rubles will be covered by foodstuffs, approximately 0.3 billion rubles by timber, approximately 0.25 billion rubles by petroleum products, approximately 0.1 billion rubles by textile materials and approximately 0.1 billion rubles by ore, coke and coking products. The main basis for obtaining currency will consequently be the export of foodstuffs, timber and petroleum products.

The probable average annual necessary import for this period for current needs will be expressed in the sum of approximately 0.6–0.8 billion rubles, of which approximately 0.3 billion rubles for textile raw materials and semifinished products, approximately 0.1 billion rubles for ferrous metal and metal products and approximately 0.2 billion rubles for food, chemical and writing-paper goods. Consequently, the free balance over 10 years will constitute approximately 1.1 billion rubles.

Finally, the necessary one-time expenditures for the outlined expansion of industry and transport according to a very rough estimate appear for 10 years to be as follows:

Electrification (1,500 kv.) approximately . . . 
1.2 billion rubles
Expansion of processing industry by 80% . . . . 
5.0 » 
»
Expansion of extractive industry by 80–100% . . . 
3.0 » 
»
Restoration, improvement and expansion of transport . . . 
8.0 » 
»

approximately 17 billion rubles.

This very rough calculation, however, leads to a perfectly definite conclusion, that expenditures for electrification are insignificant in comparison with the rest, constituting only approximately 7% of the utmost minimum of one-time expenditures. The second conclusion consists in the fact that currency possibilities set rather narrow limits for the expansion of the national economy, and the realization even of the outlined development of the latter creates a deficit of approximately 6 billion rubles over the 10-year period. This deficit, however, can be covered by means of concessions and credit operations.

There are also some hopes for an expansion of the export of agricultural products beyond the planned 1,000 million rubles per year.

Thus the outlined program appears to be feasible, and the calculation of real possibilities from the side of fuel, metal and currency leads to almost the same figure for possible increase of industry and transport at approximately 80%; for this reason this figure was placed as the basis of the program...

Data on the main materials and structures for electrification of the first phase

For the construction of 20 steam and 10 hydroelectric regional stations, approximately the following will be required:

Cement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
6,000,000 barrels
Brick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
150,000,000 pieces
Sorted iron (including masts) . . . . . . . . . 
8,000,000 puds
Copper (not counting electrical machines and devices) 
2,500,000 puds
Insulators of various kinds . . . . . . . . . . . 
2,000,000 pieces
Turbogenerators for capacity . . . . . . . . . . 
1,110,000 hp
Hydraulic turbines and generators for capacity 
640,000 hp
Steam boilers... surface heating . . . . . . . 
450,000 sq. meters
Buildings for steam stations . . . . . . . . . . 
470,000 cubic sazhens
Buildings in settlements for steam stations . . 
900,000 cubic sazhens
Buildings for transformer substations . . . . 
100,000 cubic sazhens
Service settlements near transformer substations 
90,000 cubic sazhens
Workers approximately . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
370 million labor-days

NOTES ON ELECTRIFICATION

On e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n

1) Decree on approval of the plan...
2) Mobilization of technical forces.
Collection of forces both of electrical-technical and labor forces.
Use of stations.
Agitation and propaganda.
Teaching of theoretical and practical knowledge of electricity.
3) Decree on Goelro.
4) Decree on the Scientific-Technical Department...
5) Decree on the All-Russian Electrical-Technical Congress.
6) Petrograd. Coal from abroad via Murmansk.

*

See "Plan for the Electrification of the RSFSR, introduction to the report to the VIII Congress of Soviets of the State Commission for the Electrification of Russia." Gostekhresddat, 1920.

ON WORKING OUT A DRAFT DECREE
ON MEASURES FOR THE STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PEASANT FARMING

DIRECTIVES TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION*

December 4, 1920

1) Increase the number of representatives from peasant committees of assistance...

2) As the basis in determining the participation of peasant committees of assistance, take the formulation of § 6 from the People's Commissariat of Agriculture.

3) Limit the rights of seeding commissions to issue binding decrees, conditioning such issuance by prior discussion of the proposed measures at meetings of peasant committees of assistance both at the district and provincial and at the regional scale.

4) Strike out the section on the confiscation of seeds, setting as the task of local organs to work out a form of protection of seed reserves.

5) Strike out section VII—on penalties...

6) Transfer a large part of the draft into an instruction.

*

The Council of People's Commissars adopted these positions of V. I. Lenin as the basis in working out a bill, subsequently submitted to the VIII All-Russian Congress of Soviets. The commission working out the bill was also commissioned to "compile a brief radio announcement to the effect that the Council of People's Commissars is developing a draft on such-and-such bases. Include in this announcement a proposal to provincial agricultural departments and provincial food conferences to gather precise and, if possible, detailed material on working out a plan of preliminary measures for carrying out seed requisition and mandatory sowing of fields.

The draft announcement by radio, signed by Comrades Midov and Tsiurupa, submit for signature to Comrade Lenin no later than Tuesday, December 1 of this year.

Begin the widest campaign of propaganda and agitation, in particular, by means of popular pamphlets, which must be printed by December 20 of this year.

Commission the same commission, by agreement with the Military Department, to use the forthcoming demobilization and the political apparatus of the Military Department for propaganda in the countryside of the basic ideas of the draft" (protocol No. 403, item 13).

The bill was published in "Pravda" on December 14, 1920.

NOTE ON A MEMORANDUM FROM A SECRETARY

December 11, 1920

Maria Fyodorovna called from Petrograd Telephone V. D.
Andreyeva and requested to tell Vladimir Ilyich Bonch-Bruevich
that Maxim Gorky left for Moscow today and ask
at 1:30 p.m., will arrive in Moscow tomorrow, for his answer
December 12, at approximately 1 p.m. Request and write
to send a car to the station for him. down his answer.

MEMORANDUM TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PRESS AND INTERNATIONALS*

December 17, 1920

I do not object. Print. Send me immediately 1 copy.

Lenin

FROM A MEMORANDUM TO THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFAIRS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

December 21, 1920

I request that this map** be hung both here and in the premises of the Small Soviet, and distributed (the remaining copies) to the workers' clubs of Moscow...

Is it not possible to sketch in on this same map at least with green lines and green hatching the present boundaries: (a) Western "front" (Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Romania).
(ß) Crimea
(Y) Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia
(8) Central Asia, Bukhara
(в) Far East Republic
(С) boundaries of the Far East
all now

Lenin

*

The Press Department of the Executive Committee of the Comintern asked the secretariat of the Council of People's Commissars to find out from V. I. Lenin whether his speech at the Moscow Provincial Conference of the RCP (b), already printed in French, could be published in the same form in German and English.

In Russian, V. I. Lenin's speech was printed as a separate pamphlet by the publishing house of the Moscow Committee of the RCP (b) in 1920 (Works, Vol. XXV, pp. 481–496).

** Reference is to a territorial map of the RSFSR.

MEMORANDUM TO MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

December 1920

For the information of central committee members and people's commissars

The following notes on the discussions and statements at a non-party meeting of peasants* compiled by Lenin, who requests that they become acquainted with them.

At a non-party meeting:

From B e l o r u s s i a (Minsk province).

Salt, iron and everything to sow all the land. Must be given. Will not speak more.

From U k r a i n e .

Norms are small (for livestock feed and people). But we will not leave any unsown...

T v e r s k a y a .

This year it is not suitable. There is no clover seed. The peasant sees nothing from collective farms.

From I v a n o v o - V o z n e s e n s k p r o v i n c e .

? In the requisition both the lazybones and the industrious are assessed equally, which is extremely unjust.

Blacksmiths must repair at fixed prices (and carpenters too). Otherwise blacksmiths and carpenters charge 4,000 rubles and 5 pounds, charge exorbitantly.

From E k a t e r i n o s l a v p r o v i n c e .

More close to life and to the hearts of poor peasants...

Bread, iron, coal—that is what we need. Equipment is needed.

From K u r s k p r o v i n c e .

It is necessary that the poorest learn from the conscientiousones...

...only it is possible to say beautifully that 120,000 went through courses...

The conscientious ones must be supported...

*

Reference is to a meeting of non-party delegates to the VIII All-Russian Congress of Soviets.

From D o n b a s s .

We request 35,000 seeds. But the people only carry a briefcase and have done nothing. Cannot you—give permission to obtain...

? From C h e r e p o v e t s k p r o v i n c e .

It happens that they call [someone] a lazybones. But there is actually neither plow nor harrow. One cannot blame the poor man and levy much on him. Note in the law that it is necessary to support the poor man. Compulsion is absolutely necessary.
(Cries: enough. NB).

From T u l a p r o v i n c e .

There are no kulaks now (cries: there are still some). So as not to be a shameful kulak, it is better not to work at all. The toiler could earn, the lazybones could not.

Today you pile on manure, tomorrow to whom?

From I g r i m s k d i s t r i c t .

The sowing will be sown, but 18 puds of oats will not be enough to sow. Must increase the norm for livestock. Osinsky is unfamiliar with Siberia: I have been plowing for 38 years, and Osinsky does not know.

From N o v g o r o d p r o v i n c e .

Raise equipment. Repair it. Livestock is being taken excessively. Milling fees are being taken. Fees are being charged for deserters. Unbearable levies should be reduced.

From P e n z a p r o v i n c e .

Propaganda is needed. It is only through propaganda that it can be carried out. We will not count [someone] a lazybones if war has ruined his farming.

The commission of a matchmaker—brother will protect. A higher commission is needed.

From K o s t r o m a p r o v i n c e .

It is necessary to interest the peasant. Otherwise it will not work. I saw firewood under the stick. But agriculture cannot be conducted under the stick.

Give preference to the toiler, not to one who goes mushroom hunting.

From N o v g o r o d p r o v i n c e .

In spring they lose time on land redistribution. Eliminate frequent redistributions.

Put seed material on record necessarily. Give to the poor man.

We have been equalizing for three years.

How to interest? Simply: percentage requisition of grain, as for livestock...

Goad the lazybones... 10 puds for seeds—sow and give what is due.

From f o r m e r K a z a n p r o v i n c e , T s a r e v o k o k s h a i s k d i s t r i c t .

Forests. Little land. Rye for seeds was not enough. Requisition is severe. Beg for us the norm, otherwise we will eat the last spring seeds.

From R y a z a n p r o v i n c e (from the VII Army).

War is ending, awaiting equal redistribution.

There will be abuses with seeds from the common storehouse. It angers me when they speak of peasants as scoundrels. My father has 35 desyatinas. I have not seen lazybones. The poor are suffering. Kulak-dom (like desertion) exists (thunderous applause).

From V y a t s k a p r o v i n c e .

Land redistributions are harmful. No more than once every 6 years.—Concerning livestock... preserve...

From P e t r o g r a d p r o v i n c e .

Do not break at the root the land tenure. Requisition: we had such pressure that revolvers were put to our temples. The people are outraged...

Labor obligation... If we are taken into account, we will be conscientious.

There is no footwear, no instruments, and they drive [us] out by force. The burned out are not helped.

Children did not receive what was appointed for the October celebrations.

From D e m y a n s k d i s t r i c t of N o v g o r o d p r o v i n c e .

Kulaks exist. Grain was buried. I myself dug pits and took grain. I support the protection of the poor man...* Kulaks have been driven out. We will not allow the rich to steal**.

From P e r m p r o v i n c e .

It is necessary to free from under the stick in order to raise agriculture. Stick = food requisitions.

The committees of assistance must consist of practical people. Let there be a stick, but for our assistance.

So that the conscientious one presses down on the unconscientious one.

From S a m a r a p r o v i n c e .

Give old iron for repair. Otherwise we will not manage. Premiums for good cultivation.

Arrange exhibitions. Rental stations.

From C h e r n i g o v p r o v i n c e .

There are no lazybones; the poor work. Sow everything.

From D o n r e g i o n .

Gangs have ruined all transport through mismanagement. Ruin. It is necessary to build state life.

From K i r g h i z R e p u b l i c .

Grain was collected under the whip. Nothing is left. Help must be given to cattle-breeders. Farming has been destroyed by war. Propaganda is needed.

From T u l a p r o v i n c e .

The bill must be adopted. Benefit. There is no fertilizer. Little livestock. In 10 provinces there are no seeds (central provinces). Give seeds. Concessions for fertilizer.

From K u r s k p r o v i n c e .

Add 100 horses and wheels. There is salt. There are no harrows. Kerosene is not needed.

From T s a r i t s y n p r o v i n c e .

Was a productive province. Now a consuming one. If only we could reseed ourselves. Suffered from counterrevolution.

From Y e n i s e i p r o v i n c e .

New settlers. Cold. [Crops] freeze. We are in distress. Move to more convenient places.

NOTE ON A DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
ON THE ORGANIZATION OF TECHNICAL CONSULTATION ABROAD

December 1920

Send to all
People's Commissars, agree
with each whether they
will place [someone] in
the Council and report
to me.

1) For assisting various production Commissariats, Glavkas and Centers of the Supreme Council of the National Economy and other institutions of the Republic in organizing various productions, improving them, and also obtaining the necessary information of a scientific and technical character regarding the state of the corresponding branches of science, industry and technique abroad, scientific-technical consultation bureaus of the RSFSR are established in foreign states.

2) The organization of scientific-technical consultation bureaus of the RSFSR is entrusted to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade, with the involvement in this work also of the Scientific-Technical Department of the Supreme Council of the National Economy.

3) For financing the organized scientific-technical consultation bureaus of the RSFSR abroad, there are appropriated to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade in a fund of real values to the value of up to one million gold rubles per year.

4) All People's Commissariats and the Supreme Council of the National Economy are obliged to present to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade within a 2-week period a statement on those questions regarding which they need constant periodic consultation of foreign specialists or individual assignments in this field.

5) The People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade is obliged to present at the first opportunity budget and staff proposals for organizing scientific-technical consultation bureaus abroad.

MEMORANDA TO A. D. TSIURUPA

Order, please, tomorrow a l l figures and dates concerning the potato campaign

surpluses—requisition (+ deadlines of the previous campaign)
Moscow and Petersburg, etc.
for the Politburo.

Tsiurupa

Vladimiroff wants to go to make a report in Moscow.

Forbid him to do this until his arrival in Kharkov and until a conversation with Stalin.

Otherwise it will exacerbate!!

Meanwhile request figures, only figures (he uses words):

1) w h e r e  and 2) h o w m a n y puds?

NOTE ON THE PROOF OF VOLUME IV
OF THE FIRST EDITION OF HIS WORKS

There are m a n y misprints.

NOTES ON THE NEW EDITION OF K. MARX'S BOOK
"THE MISERY OF PHILOSOPHY"

KARL MARX

THE MISERY OF PHILOSOPHY

Reply to the Philosophy of Misery of Monsieur Proudhon
with a preface and notes
by FRIEDRICH ENGELS

Translation by V. Zasulich
State Publishing House, Petersburg, 1920

Letter of Karl Marx
to Pavel Vas. Annenkov
Brussels, December 28, 1846...

... You will never believe what
difficulties such a publication encounters in Germany both from the police and from the publishers, who themselves are interested representatives of all those tendencies against which I am attacking...

Your Karl Marx

Lenin's copy.

NB

There is a new letter
of K. Marx to
Annenkov, December 28,
1846.

From where was it taken?
Where is the original
printed?

? mercenary?

...Audacious provocation of attacks on the "holy of holies" of political economy, full of wit paradoxes, mocking customary bourgeois conceptions, sharp judgments, malicious irony, with glimpses here and there of a deep and sincere feeling of outrage against the vileness of the existing order, revolutionary sincerity—all this electrified the readers of "Qu'est ce que la Propriété?" and at the first appearance of the book gave a strong impetus to the whole of society...

NOTES ON A PAMPHLET ON THE WORK OF THE MOSCOW SOVIET

? clever?

NB

A BRIEF SURVEY
OF THE ACTIVITIES
OF THE MOSCOW
SOVIET

See
Lenin
especially p. 10

Monstrous.

It should be the
opposite.

State Publishing House, 1920

Activities of the Executive Committee of the Moscow Soviet

... On one session of the Executive Committee there are 35 members present and up to 10 questions discussed. The latter can be divided into 5 groups:

1) Political questions; there were — 1.
2) Economic questions — 8.
3) Organizational questions — 46.
4) Questions of public health — 1.
5) Various questions — 11.

A c t i v i t i e s o f t h e P r e s i d i u m o f t h e M o s c o w S o v i e t

The Presidium of the United Soviet held sessions from June 17 (first session) to October 1, 75 times. At the sessions there were present 398 presidium members and 492 questions were discussed, so that on average 5 members were present per session and approximately 7 questions were discussed per session.

The questions examined and discussed by the presidium can be divided into 12 groups:

1) Organizational questions: there were 115,
2) Economic questions: 
» 
» 
219.

NOTES ON THE "BRIEF REPORT"

Russian Socialist Federative
Soviet Republic

Workers of all countries, unite!

PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT
OF ENLIGHTENMENT

OCTOBER 1917–1920
(Brief Report)

State Publishing House, 1920

..."Union of Workers of Enlightenment and Socialist Culture," exceeding the old one almost six times in membership...

Higher professional-technical educational institutions 591.

Of them:

In Moscow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
In Petrograd . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
In the provinces . . . . . . . . . 18
On the Don . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the Caucasus . . . . . . . . . .
In Siberia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In the Turkestan SR . . . . . . . .
In the Ukrainian SR . . . . . . .
In the Tatar SR . . . . . . . . . .

Whereas on the first mailing of questionnaires, timed for April 1920, the return of them within the first deadline month yielded only individual copies, on the second mailing, timed for October 1920, reports within the first three weeks of the deadline month were received numbering no fewer than 120 completed questionnaires.

*■ According to information as of September 1920.

Lenin's copy.

NB

C. S, p. 42 (September 1920), p. 107

NB

Numbers?

Only

September 1920

MEMORANDUM TO A. V. LUNACHARSKY

Comrade Lunacharsky! By all means issue! I will sign*.

Your Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS

It is necessary to put on trial (as an example) 1–2 persons** for the dissemination of rumors.

MEMORANDA TO THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFAIRS AND SECRETARIES OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

April 14, 1920

To the Secretariat of the Council of People's Commissars and the Management of Affairs of the Council of People's Commissars

Immediately give orders that in all premises of the Council of People's Commissars and the Council of Defense, as well as in all commissions appointed by them, there are always carafes of boiled water and a few glasses.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

May 28, 1920

Comrade secretary!

It is necessary to see to it that this does not happen (members of the Council of People's Commissars might)***. Watch more strictly!

Lenin

*

The memorandum was written in connection with a petition from the commissar of the Public Library in Leningrad to give him on behalf of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment a "formal ban" on giving out for home use rare copies of pre-October revolutionary literature kept in the library.

**

The memorandum was written by V. I. Lenin on a report from the Deputy People's Commissar of Military Affairs concerning the fact that certain railway workers and Military Communications Administration officials were disclosing secret information.

***

The order was issued in connection with the presence at a session of the Council of Labor and Defense of representatives of departments not summoned to this session.

June 18, 1920

Remind me about 2 papers given to me by Gorky. By Wednesday.

Lenin

July 1920

Move the reception queue forward (half past 11–1 o'clock), move one to the end. Otherwise it does not work out.

October 7, 1920

Tsiurupa is asking you to set him up tomorrow for a meeting before the Council of Defense.

He will come tomorrow to the Kremlin about 11:30.

Will you call him or should he call you? Or should he call the booth?*

TO THE MANAGEMENT OF AFFAIRS OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

It is superfluous and absurd that, after reviewing papers, you write "for review by V. I." (!??) ((this is already clear)) or "would think that so-and-so."

W r i t e i n 3 l i n e s t h e g i s t o f t h e m a t t e r .
Otherwise there is nothing for you to look at.

To Fotieva: make a copy (confidentially) [for keeping in my archive], then sew it up, seal it and take the courier's receipt, checking especially.

Lidia Aleksandrovna!

Distribute everything quickly...

T o S t a l i n i m m e d i a t e l y call by telephone and report to me his answer by telephone.

Greetings! Lenin

*

Underlined by V. I. Lenin.

Where?

at his place in the Kremlin?
Earlier than 11:30 
I cannot manage, from 11:30 to 12 I will try, if I do not oversleep.

You were not "beaten down," but treated too softly.

1) Get a pledge from all secretaries that during Council of People's Commissars sessions only notes are to be submitted, and conversation is forbidden.

2) Hang such an announcement in the secretaries' office.

They will call at 9 o'clock workers from the Moscow Committee. Agree so they come at 9:30.

Please open a window in my office for half an hour.

Publications of the Toussaint-Langenscheidt firm
(Germany)

Sachs-Villatte

1) Complete dictionary of the French-German language
2) Same: German-French Muret-Sanders
3) English-German

Pocket dictionaries by the same firm

4) English-German
5) Italian-German
6) German-Russian